False Beginnings
by poeticgrace
Summary: They started out on a lie. Will true love blossom from false beginnings? DiLu.
1. Chapter 1

I used to watch him with her. They were always together, holding hands or stealing kisses when no one was looking. Theirs was one of those first loves that seem to last a life time, starting from the innocence of an adolescent crush to the complexity of a true marriage. Through family complications, a hotel explosion and an epidemic, their love had survived it all.

I admired what they had. Secretly, I wished for what she had as my own. Not just the love, but the lover. He was the perfect man, exactly what I would have chosen if I had my choice of anyone in the world. With all the lies she had told, I knew that he deserved better. I knew that I was better. He was my best friend, and if he just looked, I mean _really _looked at me, he would realize that what we had wasn't something you could just walk away from.

In the beginning, I could imagine doing such a horrible thing to him. To tell him a lie after all the ones she had threw his way over the past few months, I was afraid that it would be what finally broke him. However, the thought that a single lie could finally break them, it drove me to do it. I contemplated it over and over again in my head, could I really go through with it? I still wasn't sure, even as the words came out of my mouth. The pain in his eyes told me that I had been successful in my mission.

Standing the boathouse, I just let the events unfold in front of me. Silently, I watched as they argued, yelling and crying in fear and anger. When he burst out of the room, I should have followed him. Frozen in my spot, I just let her spew her angry words at me. I just let her hatred wash over me until she finally walked away. Within seconds, I was alone. The silence was too loud, my guilty conscience was all I could here.

I headed to the docks to clear my head, and instead, I ran into my father. Our conversation made me realize that what's done is done, and there's no going back or room for apologies. I had found something I had wanted, and I went after it. To live after my famous name in Port Charles, I should follow through. And with love pulsing through my heart, I knew that I had to follow through.

I found him there, on the porch, throwing cushions and cursing at himself. Standing on the porch of the boathouse on that humid, still June night, I knew that everything was about to change. I listened to him talk about it, begging me for details of something I hadn't even seen. Before I knew it, my arms were around him. He buried his face in my hair and then, we were kissing.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, with only a blanket wrapped our entangled bodies, I can feel Dillon's arms still around me. I'm afraid to move, scared that the spell will be broken once he realizes what happened. My fears are set to ease when he drops a soft kiss on my hair.

"Morning, Lu."

"Good morning," I whisper back, embarrassed.

"It certainly is," he replies huskily, capturing my lips with his.

He moans into my mouth as I roll over on top of him, our hips bumping against each other. Suddenly, he pulls away, holding my face in his hands. His green eyes stare back at me, masked with something other than the lust that had consumed him last night. I start to kiss him again, but he turns his head.

"I don't want to," he admits finally.

"Oh."

"It's not that. Last night was amazing, Lu."

"But I'm your friend."

"It's not that. I was hurt last night and you were there for me. I took advantage of that. I just don't want to hurt you because Georgie hurt me."

"You're not, I wanted to be with you. I've wanted to be with you."

He smiles and brushes a stray hair from my eyes with his thumb. "Me too. And if we want this to continue and have any real chance of making it, we need to slow down. I need to know that this is about you and me and not about the pain."

I nod, touched at his confession. "Then, we'll wait."

"I promise, it will be worth the wait," he tells me, pressing his lips to mine. "I'd like to take you on a date. A real date with dinner and dancing, real old Hollywood."

"Yeah?" I ask, cocking my head to the side with a raised eyebrow. "There's nothing I'd love more."

"Then, tonight it is?"

"Tonight," I whisper as I lean down to kiss him again.


	3. Chapter 3

II studied my reflection in the mirror nervously. My loose golden ringlets framed my face as I applied the final layer of mascara and deemed my overall presence at least good enough. I'd scoured my closet for hours, trying to find the perfect ensemble, until I finally settled on a black vintage cocktail dress Nikolas had brought back from New York City.

In just a few minutes, Dillon will be here. It's funny when you consider he's basically just going to have to walk down the hall to pick me up. I know how it looks to other people, dating my "stepbrother." Maybe if we had grown up together or our parents' marriage wasn't a deceptive sham, we would feel different. But it didn't feel like that at all. It felt like it was something that could go the distance if given the chance. As I heard a knock at the door and checked my image one last time, I felt like maybe it could.

"Wow," he gasped as I opened the door. "You-you're beautiful."

"Thanks," I replied sheepishly.

"Shall we?" he announced gallantly, offering me his arm. I wrapped my arm in his as we headed down the grand staircase to the foyer. No one stood in our way to making a quiet exit. Slipping out the front door, I finally made Dillon stop so that I could look him over. Dressed in a classic, svelte black suit, he truly looked the part of old Hollywood.

"Have I told you that you look amazing tonight?"

Dillon grinned and blushed. "Thanks, Lu," he replied, opening the passenger door to his grandfather's Bentley.

"The Bentley?"

"I thought you deserved to arrive in style, and Grandfather has no idea. I figured you would appreciate the "bad boy" factor too."

"You know me so well," I laughed as he slid into the car beside me. Within a few minutes, we were out the front gate and headed toward the heart of Port Charles. "Where are we to dine, my fine sir?"

"The Metrocourt for dinner and dancing. They're having a jazz singer in the lounge, so it seemed perfect."

"It sounds perfect," I mused, looking out the window as the hotel came into view. The lights of Port Charles sparkled around us, setting the perfect glow for a momentous night of romance. The excitement bubbled inside me when I felt Dillon's hand reaching for mine. Entwining his fingers in mine, he rubbed his thumb along my wrist. We sat in a comfortable silence as we waited in the valet line in front of the hotel. Finally, he pulled in front of the door. Hurrying out of the car and throwing the valet his keys, he rushed around to my side of the car. I watched as he waved a bellboy off, insisting on opening my door on his own.

Reaching for his hand, I let him pull me out of the dark car until I was standing on the plush red carpet in front of the entrance. Rather than offering his arm, he once again reached for my hand and led me into the elegant dining room. Immediately, in true VIP style, we were taken to our very private booth in the darkest corner of the restaurant. Just as we were sitting down, that was when I spotted Diego and Georgie at a table nearby. Praying that Dillon hadn't seen them, I looked up to see him scanning the dining room. I noticed the immediate change in his eyes when he saw them together.

"Are you kidding me?" he muttered and shook his head.

Reaching across the table, I took his hand. "Dillon, look at me." He ignored me and continued staring at his ex-girlfriend and arch nemesis talking animatedly by candlelight. "Dillon, look at me," I repeated. Still, he ignored me. "Look at me!" Finally, I had caught his attention. "Don't let this about me, let this be about us. This our night, don't let them take it away from us."

"I'm sorry, you're right," he told me, rubbing his hand over his eyes as if to wipe away the moment. "This is about us, I'm with you and there is nowhere else I would rather be."

Thankfully, our waiter returned to take our orders. I allowed Dillon to order for us while I snuck a look at where Georgie and Diego were dining. I could see that they had both clearly spotted us. Diego's face appeared happy, glad that the girl he loved had seen her ex-boyfriend with the girl she disliked most. Georgie was heartbroken, and for a brief moment, I felt the sickening feeling of guilt wash over me. It was Dillon who forced me to turn away this time.

"Lu, come back to me."

I smiled apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he said as he slid out of the booth. I watched in amazement as he came around the table and sat next to me. He didn't look at Georgie and Diego, in fact, the only place his eyes were looking was into mine. "You were too far away."

"Oh, yeah?" I murmur as he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me next to him. Not even a slip of paper could pass between us in that moment, we are as close as two people can be. As he butters a piece of bread and holds it up for me to bite, I can't help but wonder if this is all for show. Maybe it is his public way of getting back at Georgie (for something that_ I_ made up), but I don't care. I revel in his intimate attention until we are interrupted again.

"Dillon, can I talk to you for a minute?" Georgie spat.

"I'm busy with my date, Georgie. Come by the mansion tomorrow and we can talk then," he says, brushing her off to return to the conversation we were having.

"Please, it's important."

He looks at me and winks before rolling his eyes. "Tomorrow. Tonight is about Lu and me. You're here with your new boyfriend, let your night be about that."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Whatever, Georgie," he muttered. "I really don't care anymore."

We both watched as she stalked off. "Maybe you should talk to her," I try.

"When I'm here with you, I'm with you."


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of dinner flew by in a dreamy haze. The food was perfection, and the conversation was divine. We talked about everything – our crazy families, his favorite movies, my favorite musicians, school, life. I learned so much about him in those few precious hours, secrets were revealed and truths were told. I had never felt so close to anyone in my entire life, save for the night before when I had been in his arms.

"Do you want something sweet before we go dance?" Dillon asks, looking up at me over his empty plate.

I smile and nod anxiously. "You know I'm a sucker for anything chocolate."

He waves the waiter over and places an order for the chocolate mousse, the house specialty and my favorite dessert. "With two spoons," he reminds him as the waiter disappears toward the kitchen.

"Yay, I'm so excited!" I exclaim before I can stop myself. "Sorry."

"No, I like that you get so excited," he smiled. "Lu, thanks for coming here with me tonight. It's exactly what we needed."

"We? Not just you?"

"We," he repeated pointedly. "And the night's not over yet."

"I know, I can't wait to get you out on the dance floor. I haven't been dancing…well, ever."

"Me neither, not really. I mean, a school dance or two, and maybe the occasional dance at Kelly's or something. But to go out and really dance, it's a first for me."

"Well, I'm honored to share the moment with you, Mr. Quartermaine."

"Likewise, Ms. Spencer."

"Here is your dessert, sir," the waiter said, setting the china platter on the table between them. "Ms. Carly had it rushed."

"The power of family in high places," I said as I dive into the chocolaty goodness. "Oh, this is heaven. The best thing next to…"

"Sex," we say at the same time, bursting into laughter. I look around the dining room to see people staring at our table. I turn my head and bury my face in his shoulder in embarrassment. I'm surprised when he reaches up and starts to stroke my hair. Pulling back, I look up to see him staring at my intently for the second time that night. As he comes closer, I know what's next. He dips his head down and captures my lips with his.

Finally, he breaks the kiss and takes a deep breath. "Not here, not now."

I nod, knowing what he means. Instead, we return our attention to the dessert. It's awkward for a moment until I notice the whipped cream on the tip of his nose. "You have something," I say, pointing to my nose.

I watch Dillon try to wipe it off, but instead, he just smears it. Laughing, I shake my head and watch as he vainly takes a second attempt. Again, he just manages to make a bigger mess. Finally, I reach up with a napkin and start to wipe it away. He grabs my arm just as the soft cloth touches his face. Laying a gentle kiss on the inside of my wrist, he whispers, "Thanks."

I shudder at his tender touch, suddenly so aware of everything around us. "Let's go," I whisper, nodding my head toward the door. He shakes his head, suddenly full of food and hungry for something else. Dropping a couple large bills on the table, he slides out of the booth and guides me out behind him. His arm encircling my waist, he leads me out of the restaurant and toward the club downstairs. Past Georgie and Diego, I look up to see if his eyes wander to their table. Instead, I find him staring down at me and only me. With a smile I've never seen play upon his lips before, I realize that his gaze is reserved for only me.

Neither of us speak a word when we reach the club. I just follow him out to the middle of the floor and into the dim spotlight. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me against his chest. My head falls easily on his shoulder, my arms around his neck as we sway slowly in time to the sad love song. I can hear him inhale as he nuzzles his cheek against my hair. I do the same thing, taking in the familiar scent of his skin.

The song transitions to an old standard, one from an old movie that he had forced me to watch a few months back. I can hear him softly humming, his chest vibrating slightly. I raise my head to look at him but his eyes are closed. I pray silently that he is thinking about me and only me in this moment. I reach up and cup his cheek. He smiles before opening his eyes. We stop moving and everything around me seems to slow down. Standing on my tip toes, I make the first move to kiss him. My hands tangled in his soft blonde hair, I kiss him and kiss him.

Eventually, we pull apart and start dancing again as the song changes to a more upbeat song. Dillons pulls away slightly, turning me around in a circle. "I didn't know you could actually dance," I giggle as he expertly maneuvers us around the floor. He doesn't respond, only turns me underneath his arm and draws me near him again. With one hand firmly on my waist and the other clasped in mine to our side, he leads me in a sort of waltz. For a brief shining moment, it really does feel like a scene from one of his movies. Even more so when he dips me back, my hair cascading over his tanned arm. We laugh together before looking up. There, just off to the side, Georgie stands watching us with Diego.

Pulling me back up, I feel his body tense for just a moment and relax the next. The song finishes as his eyes drop to mine. I sidle up next to him, rubbing my entire body over his, giving them something to see if they insist on staring. An old soul classic, Al Green's "I Can't Get Next to You," starts up as the new act takes the stage. _This night isn't about Georgie, but this dance is_, I think to myself.

Lustful desire is evident in Dillon's eyes as I start to sway my hips against his, my right arm snaking around his neck to play with his hair. His arms find their way around my waist. Locking eyes, I make sure that he is focused on me as we move together as one. His hands start to move up and down my back before making a slight detour below my waist. As the closing strains of the song ring out, I reach up and grab his tie. Rather than yanking him down to kiss him, this time I stand on my tip toes to whisper into his ear, "Let's get out of here." Leading him by the tie over my shoulder, we saunter past them without as much as a look.

Outside the door, Dillon stops me. I expect him to chide me for the little scene or something of that nature, but instead, he kisses me again. This kiss is even more passionate than the one before, perhaps brought on by the little seductive interlude we'd just shared in front of the entire club. He starts to back me up against the wall until we are lost in the shadows of a dark corner. His hands move down my sides until they are resting on my hips. Breathlessly, he pulls away. He moves in again, laying small kisses on my lips until we are both so consumed with the moment that we have to stop. He rests his forehead against mine and whispers my name. I look up at him and make the request that we both so desperately need, "Take me home."


	5. Chapter 5

The air in the car was filled with expectation as Dillon slowed his grandfather's Bentley at a red light. I snuck a peak at him. His hands were firmly gripping the steering will, causing the muscles in his forearm to flex. He had thrown his jacket in the back seat when we returned to the car, rolling up his sleeves to give himself a more casual appearance. I watched as he bit his bottom lip, eyes glued to the road, lost in the thought. I wanted to reach over and touch him, but something stopped me. As the car in front of us lunged ahead, I clicked on the radio to ease the deafening silence.

Neither of us said a word as I scanned through the stations, finally settling on an acoustic rock song by one of my favorite bands. Settling back into my seat, my mind drifts back to a warm afternoon a few weeks ago when I had heard this very song in Kelly's. Dillon and I had been talking about my dad and eating French fries when someone played it on the jukebox. I had commented on it at the time, but I doubted that he remembered it.

"This is that song," he said quietly as he turned left onto a side street. "That song, the one you said you loved when we were at Kelly's."

"You remember that?" I asked without looking at him.

He's quiet for a moment. "Of course. When it came on, something about you changed. It's like whatever was going on inside your head stopped for a moment, and you got lost in the song. You just closed your eyes and let it wash over you."

"Oh, man, I bet that was real attractive," I replied sarcastically.

"Actually, it was. It made me realize that you understand passion. It's the same way I get when I watch certain films. It's all-consuming."

I smile to myself, thankful that perhaps someone finally gets me. Looking out my window, I can feel the car slowing down. When he kills the engine, I realize that we are miles from the Quartermaines. "What's wrong?"

Dillon just smiles at me as he rolls down the windows and turns up the song. Not knowing what he's up to, I watch him walk around the car and open my door. Pulling me out of the car, he leads us until we are standing underneath the streetlight. Much like the spotlight in the club, the light radiates around us as he wraps me in his warm embrace – only this time we are alone without an audience.

I think to myself, _I can't believe this is happening._ The whole thing is cheesy, I know, but in the best way possible. I close my eyes, pushing all the cynical thoughts out of my mind, and inhale deeply. The summer air is perfectly still without it being too hot. Dillon hands find their way to my hair as he folds the ends between his fingers. He sighs almost inaudibly as I press my face into his chest and start along lightly to the song.

As the last chord fades away, we remain beneath the light in each other's arms. "Dillon, I need to tell you something," I say suddenly, realizing that now is the time to tell the truth. I'm starting to feel something more than I ever expected and as he reluctantly lets go of me, I realize that he is too.

"There's something I wanted to tell you, too, Lu."

"You first," we say in unison.

"No, really, you go," I insist.

"This night has surpassed all my expectations," he said as he pulled me over to the hood of the car. I watch him sit down, spreading his legs apart and pulling me to stand in front of him. He wraps his arms around my waist and I place my hands on his thighs. "I was thinking about everything in the car, everything that happened last night and every minute since. I never expected this to happen, but I'm really glad it did. This night has been perfect, and when I heard this song, I knew that I had to have one more dance with you tonight."

Suddenly, the courage is gone. I don't want my admission to take this moment away from me, from us. I know that I will have to tell him eventually, the guilt is going to be too much to bear at some point. Not because what I did to Georgie was wrong but because what I did to Dillon was wrong.

"So, that's what I had to say. Your turn."

"I think you said it all."

He simply smiles and nods toward the car. I shake my head and start to walk to my side when he grabs my arm. Twirling me around, he pulls me into a kiss. In that moment, I know that no matter what happens after tonight, I will always have this perfect memory. I had my Hollywood kiss with Dillon beneath a streetlight, that's something that most girls dream about their entire lives. Down one foot kicking up behind me, it was pure magic, a truly classic moment.

We slip back into the comfortable silence on the way home. Part of me wonders what will happen when we get back to the mansion, but I pledge to myself that I won't over think it. He slows the Bentley as he turns into the long drive, waiting for the gate to swing open and then carefully making his way up the winding road on the Quartermaines' private estate. Within minutes, the car is tucked safely back in its customary spot in the garage, and Dillon and I are walking along the dim path toward the terrace to hopefully enter the house unnoticed.

Coming around the side of the house, I see the lights in the sitting room are off and most of the mansion is dark. Dillon smiles at me and winks as we slip into the house and up the stairs without a word. With both of us tucked in the lesser used wing, we have most of the floor to ourselves. As we walk toward my door, it strikes me funny that he literally walking me to my door in his own house.

"So, wanna come in?" I ask playfully as I run my finger down his chest, expecting him to refuse.

"Sure," he replied. "But just to talk."

I nod and push the heavy door open. He's been in my bedroom a thousand times, but somehow, tonight it is different. Flicking on the light, I throw my purse into a plush armchair in the corner and kick my heels off next to the desk. "I'm going to get out of this dress."

"Need some help?" he taunted.

"I think I can manage," I replied, grabbing clothes from the top of my bureau and disappearing into my private bath. Changing quickly, I allow myself a moment to inspect my reflection in the mirror. Outside the door, I can hear him flipping through my CDs and putting one into the player. I smile happily, realizing that he is playing the song from earlier. _This will our song_, I tell myself before running my fingers through my hair and heading out.

Dillon is laying on the bed when I come out, his shoes strewn absently at the foot of the bed. He turns on his side when I reappear, patting the bed beside him. I climb beneath the comforter he had turned down, though he is laying on top of it. Turning toward him, I easily fall into his eyes.

"I'm suddenly so tired," I whisper.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked genuinely.

"No, please, stay."

"Come here," he says, reaching his arms out and pulling me to him.

"We're just supposed to be talking, remember?" I remind him.

"We are just talking," he replied. "Turn over."

Laying like spoons, his breath tickles the back of my neck. "I've never felt so close to anyone in my entire life." He remains silent, and I know that he can't return the sentiment. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry," he whispered into the darkness.

"This is new, I understand. Don't ever be sorry for your feelings."

"But you deserve so much more, Lu."

This cuts me, knowing the secret I'm keeping, I know that I deserve much less. "If this night is all I ever have with you, Dillon, it will still be everything to me."

"We have more than tonight if you want it."

"I do," I whisper sleepily, exhaustion racking my body. "You never know what's going to happen."

"We'll find our way," he promised as I yawned. "Sleep, Lu."

"Will you stay?"

I feel him nod, his chin rubbing against my shoulder as he cuddles closer to me. Eventually, I find myself drifting to sleep, my heavy eyes falling shut. I'm barely coherent when he finally crawls off the bed. Before he leaves, he lays a gentle kiss on my cheek. I can feel him watching over me, but I don't open my eyes. With one final touch, he is gone. Just before he shuts the door, I hear him whisper one last time. "Sleep well, my angel."

His final words shake me to the core, chasing away the exhaustion and leaving me suddenly feeling very sober. "My angel." Those words had always had a very special place in my life, something that he had no clue about. My father's nickname for my mother, so much was wrapped up in those three syllables. A single tear wells up in my eye and eventually finds its way down my cheek. Wiping it away with the back of my hand, guilt and sorrow have quickly replaced the content feeling of a few moments before.


	6. Chapter 6

It's early the next morning when I wake up, the sun barely casting its light throughout the room. Padding across the thick white carpet, I wrap my favorite silk robe around my body and head toward the garden. I like to come out here early in the morning, long before any of the Quartermaines can bother me with their meaningless bickering. My favorite place is a secluded iron bench in Lila's rose garden. I could sit there for hours, watching the mist rise off the water and enjoying the bold, sweet fragrance of the blooms.

This is the only place on the estate where I can really be alone with my thoughts. Even in my own bedroom, I always subject to the random showdown. Whether its Alice barging in to put away laundry or Tracey yelling me about something else my father has done, there is no privacy in the mansion. Growing up with just my grandmother and me, I usually revel in all the noise and chaos. However, on the rare occasions when I need to escape it all, I'm glad that the matriarch of the Quartermaine clan had enough sense to design this amazing haven.

"G'morning," Dillon whispers as he sits down beside me.

As soon as he sits down, I know that the time is now and that the conversation will be had before either of us leaves the garden. "Good morning."

"Wow," he muses, looking up at the dawn sky. "It really is beautiful out here."

I nod. "This is my favorite place in the world. By the way, how did you know I was out here? This is my hideout, I didn't think any of you Quartermaines knew about it."

"You Quartermaines?!" he cries in mock hurt. "I can't believe you just categorized me in with my family."

I laugh and elbow him in the ribs. "If the shoe fits…"

"Ha ha," he replies dryly. "Anyhow, I saw you from my balcony. There was this lady of the morning, dressed purely in white, heading toward the lady in dewy mist, and she was just so beautiful that I knew I had to come down and see who she is."

"Any luck finding her?"

"She's more beautiful than I could have ever imagined," he whispers. I allow him to lean in and kiss me, giving myself permission to have just this last touch. This kiss is sweet and simple, his tongue running along my lips. Long after he pulls away, my fingertips retrace the journey his lips had just made along mine.

"I have something to tell you," I say, breaking away and standing up to face him. "You're not going to like it, and it's probably going to make you angrier than you think. I understand if you can't forgive me, but I hope that you will be able to understand why I did what I did some day."

"Whatever it is, Lu, I'm sure that I will be able to forgive you," he tells me, standing up and walking toward me.

I put my hands out to keep him at a distance. I know that if he touches me again, my confidence will falter and the confession will remain unsaid. "Please, sit down."

"Just tell me, Lu, you're scaring me."

I force myself to ignore the worry in his voice. "Do you remember when I showed up at Kelly's upset? What am I saying, of course you do. I told you that I saw Georgie and Diego at the boathouse, and I did. It's just what came next that's the problem."

Dillon looks at me pointedly. "Tell me."

"I made it all up, Dillon. Diego convinced me to help him carry out this plan to break you two up. At first I didn't want to do it, that's why I was so apprehensive to tell you what I supposedly saw on the docks," I explain. "And then, I don't know, I just realized that maybe it was the only way to ever have a chance with you. So, I let him talk me into it and I went through the plan. I lied to you, Dillon."

"How could you do this to me, Lulu?" he spat. "You purposely hurt me and let me think that Georgie betrayed me. You ended my relationship with her for your own selfish reasons."

"I'm in love with you."

"What? You're in love with me? If you really loved me, there is no way that you could do this to me," he sneers. "I have to get out of here. I have to get away from you."

"Please-"

"Save it, I don't want to hear it. I need to go find my wife."

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, tears streaming down my face.

He turns around and looks at me, tears welling in his own eyes. I want to reach up and wipe them away, to kiss him and reassure him that this really was for the best. My touchstone is about to walk out of my life, I really am losing my best friend and the man that I love. "You ruined it, Lulu. Not just Georgie and I, but you and me. I have to go."

Before he can walk away from me, I run away. My bare feet pounding against the cool wet grass, I don't stop until my bedroom door slams shut behind me. Throwing my robe to the carpet, I hurriedly throw clothes on and toss a few more into a bag. Looking around the room to make sure I have everything that I need to be gone for awhile, I notice the three frames that line my window sill. Quickly, I remove the photographs from the frames, allowing them to fall onto the carpet. The first is of my father and mother just a few months before she fell into the coma. The other is of Nikolas, Lucky, Grandma Leslie, Lucas and me at Lucky and Elizabeth's wedding. The last one, my favorite, is a snapshot of Dillon and me before prom. Wiping a stray tear away, I tuck them safely in my diary and add it to the bag before leaving the house for good.

I slide past the fighting family in the foyer and head out of the estate. As I make my way toward town, the sky turns dark and rain begins to pour. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I take off in a run. With my mother still sick and my father and Nikolas both out of town, there is only one place I can turn to. Running as fast as my feet will carry me, I finally arrive at the apartment building. My wet clothes clinging to my trembling body, I press the doorbell and hope that someone answers.

Elizabeth looks like an angel when she pulls the door open. Instantly, I recognize the concern in her eyes. Thankfully, she doesn't say a word, she only steps back and lets me see past her. There, sitting in an armchair is Lucky, exactly the person I needed to see. Picking up a blanket, he walks over and wraps it around me. Once I am encased in the warm fabric, Lucky pulls me into a hug, burying my face in the soft cotton of his plaid shirt.

"I can't go back there, Lucky, please don't make me."

"I won't, I promise. You're safe, Lu, you're safe."


	7. Chapter 7

An hour and two cups of coffee later, Lucky has forced me into sitting down and telling him everything in their cozy breakfast nook. Hugging the shiny red mug between my palms, I smile sadly and start to recount all my mistakes. He listens intently, never offering any judgment, only taking in my words.

"So, that's about it. God, I am such a Spencer."

"I love you, but I have to say this. You really messed up, Sis. I wish I knew how to fix it, but truthfully, I don't know that you can this time. I mean, how would you feel if someone did this to Elizabeth and me?"

"I could will kill them."

"Exactly, Lu. What were you thinking?"

"I acted on impulse. I saw this opportunity to get what I want, and I acted on it. Without any thought to the ramifications, I just took a leap and hoped that I would somehow land on my feet. And now, I'm stuck in the bottom of a dark abyss."

Lucky shook his head and grinned. "You sound like Carly."

"Well, she _is_ a Spencer," I reply, thinking back to the conversation we had shared over a game of pool at Jake's. I had never really had any use for my cousin, but that night, I realized that we had more in common than either of us would have ever expected. "Anyhow, I know that what's done is done. I don't expect Dillon to understand or ever forgive me. That's why I have to get out of that house. With Dad off on yet another adventure, I need somewhere to crash. That, my dear brother, is where you come in."

"You can stay here tonight, and then, we'll figure out what to do in the morning. Nikolas should be back from the city early, so maybe you can stay there. If there was more room here, you know that we'd love to have you stay."

"Lucky, it's okay, I understand. Nikolas has plenty of room, and I'm sure he could use the help with John. Besides, throwing myself into being an aunt might take my mind off of everything."

Early the next morning, true to his word, Lucky called Nikolas and made arrangements for me to move into one of the spare bedrooms in Wyndamere. I figured the house was big enough to give me privacy, and there were enough passages to get lost in that I could keep myself busy rather than think about Dillon. I didn't have to repeat the story to my eldest brother, Lucky gave him the condensed version. One thing they both insisted on, however, was returning to the Quartermaines to get the remainder of my things.

"Nikolas, do I really have to do this?" I ask childishly as his driver pulls the dark town car in front of the house.

"You made your bed, and for the next half-hour, you are going to have to lie in it. Making adult decisions means dealing with adult consequences, Lulu. I could have made you do this alone."

"Fine," I grumble, heading through the front door with Nikolas in toe. The foyer is empty, and I pray that we can just get my things and get out undetected. My plan is soon thwarted when Dillon comes down the stairs.

"Oh," he says softly.

I turn and look at Nikolas, silently begging him to let me leave. He shakes his head slightly and pushes me forward slightly.

"Hey, Dillon," Nikolas greets.

"Hi, Nikolas," he replies, ignoring my presence.

"We're just here to get Lulu's stuff, we'll be out of here in no time."

"Oh, you're leaving?" he asks me plainly.

I remain silent as Nikolas answers for me. "Yeah, with Luke out of town, we just decided that it was best if she come stayed with me for awhile. Get used to being an aunt and all."

"Nik, can you give us a second?" Dillon inquires.

"Sure, I'll be upstairs in your room," he says to me. "It was nice seeing you, Dillon."

I look up at Dillon, unsure of what I'm supposed to do next. "Lulu, you don't have to leave," he tells me.

"This is your home, I don't belong here anymore. Not that I ever did."

"What about your dad?"

"He's used to not having me around, so I doubt he'll notice. I'll figure that out when he gets back," I reply. "I should go, I have some packing to do." I move past him, my hand brushing against his on my way up the steps. Upstairs and safely out of sight, I lean against the wall and crumple to the floor. Nikolas must have heard me crying as he soon appears and gathers me in his arms. Dropping a brotherly kiss on my forehead, he reassures me that it will be okay.

"You're a Spencer, get yourself together, girl," I tell myself, pulling away from Nikolas. "What would my father say if he could see me now?"

"He'd probably want to go yell at the 'Young Spielberg,' as he calls him. And he'd be proud that you managed to pull of a scheme without getting caught but chide you for the confession. And I think he'd be heartbroken to see you this."

Dillon is still sitting on the stairs when Nikolas and I begin to leave, lugging two suitcases behind us. It's hard to believe that everything I own can fit into such small bags. He follows us down, wringing his hands nervously, trying to search for the right words for the moment. Taking my keys out of my purse, I pull a single silver key from the ring. "Here."

"Keep it, you'll be back."

I shake my head. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because despite this, despite myself, I still care."

Handing him the key, I reply, "I know the feeling."

He refuses to take the key, so I set it on the table next to the door. I turn around and give him one last smile, cementing his image in my mind. Though Port Charles is a small town and I will invariably see him again, it will never be like it is now.


	8. Chapter 8

It's been nearly three weeks since that afternoon. In all the time since, I have done everything I can think of to keep myself busy. I've spent countless hours with Nikolas and John, walking the grounds or hanging out at Kelly's. I've taken up running, just plugging into my iPod and losing myself along a shaded path in the park. I even read some books from the summer reading list, something I _never_ thought I would do.

Over the weekend, Nikolas and I had even escaped to New York City with the baby for a few days of shopping. While he attended to some Cassadine family business, I wondered the city and eventually found myself in Central Park. Sitting at the fountain, I started to watch the people. I came to realize that this was a new beginning, I could be any person I wanted to be. Sure, I made a huge mistake, but I made it for a reason. Maybe that reason was to get a new perspective on my life and to become the person I need to be. Maybe this is what was finally going to make me grow up, Spencer persona and all.

In an effort to plan for that new life, I stopped by a stationary store in a funky boutique in Greenwich. I scoured the shelves for hours, trying to find just the right thing. Finally, I settled on a luscious red leather planner. Flipping through the thick creamy pages, I felt like I had a fresh start for the first time in my entire life. I was starting with nothing, and there was nowhere to go but up.

So, that's what I'm doing now, copying things from my old book into the new calendar. My old book was just a notebook, I random list of musings and dates. Looking over my scratches, I realized just how many times Dillon's name appeared. From movie recommendations to times to meet at Kelly's, he had been a huge part of my life. So easily, he'd become my best friend and confidant. The only person I really trusted to be there for me. How could I do this to him?

And that's when I noticed it. Between my appointment to get my highlights touched up and a doctor appointment I had promised my brother I would take John to, there was a date I had missed. Looking at it again, I forced myself to recount the days. The number came up the same every time. I was late.

_I can't be_, I think. _It's just not possible. We were safe, and even then, it only happened once. It's probably just stress. I mean, so much has happened, and maybe this is just my body's way of dealing with it. I've heard about it happening before. Although, I have been feeling kind of nauseous this week, barely eating and wanting to sleep a lot. I'm probably just coming down with something, stress supposedly weakens your immune system. That's it! It has to be…_

I toss the book to the side and walk over to the mirror. Looking over my reflection, I turn to the side and try to imagine myself with a swelled stomach. When I was thinking about becoming a new person, I certainly did not think that new life would include the role of a mother. Suddenly, I feel the need to get out of the house. Deciding to take a walk along the docks, I jot a note for Nikolas and head for the launch. On the boat, I watch the sparkling city come near to me. With the glittering water reflecting the sun off its surface, it's unusually hot for the late hour.

"Thank you," I tell driver as he helps me step out of the boat. I watch him make his way back toward Spoon Island. My back turned to the docks and buildings behind me, I just stare out across the water. Looking at the ocean, it always seems that the world is endless and that the possibilities are unlimited. Though its only an illusion, it's a nice sentiment.

"Hey," I hear a familiar voice whisper.

I close my eyes, instantly recognizing his voice and not believing my bad luck. I'm in no shape to see anyone, let alone him, but it looks like I'm not going to have a choice. "Dillon."

"How have you been?"

"I'm doing…okay," I answer.

"I haven't seen you around lately."

"I've been busy with Nikolas and John. We went to New York this weekend, and other than that, we've been spending a lot of time around Wyndamere."

"How is John? Do you like being an aunt?"

"Oh, I love it!" I exclaim, temporarily letting my guard down to let him see a glimpse of the real me rather than the cool, collected person I am pretending to be. "He's so amazing. Everything makes him smile right now, he's such a happy baby. He totally relies on me, it's nice to know that someone needs me and have it matter if I'm there."

"He's not the only one who needs you," I hear him mutter beneath his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," he lies. "That's great, Lu. You seem really happy."

"Thanks, I am," I reply falsely. My act seems to be working. "How are you?"

"Good…okay…not that great."

I start to apologize again but change my mind. "Well, I hope that things get better for you. I should be going."

"Oh, okay."

I wave and hurry off, anxious to get anywhere that is away from him. Coming around the corner, I run into the alley that leads to Jake's. Checking my watch, I decide to take a chance and push the door open with my hip. There, standing behind a pool table, I see exactly the person I am looking for. His dark hair shining beneath the overhead light, he bends over and expertly sinks a corner shot. Standing up, he turns around and smiles at me knowingly.

And then, he steps to the side and I see the person I was really looking for. "Carly, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Lulu, what are you doing here so late?" my cousin demands.

"I just needed to talk to someone, and I think you might be the only person who might be able to help me."

"Okay, that's scary," Patrick comments, sidling past Carly and sinking another shot.

"Patrick, I'll be right back," she replies, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a table near the door. "Alright, you have five minutes. What's up?"

"Long story short, I made up a really malicious lie to land the guy I love in bed. It worked, at least until I told him the truth. That was three weeks ago, he's still angry, and I don't think he's going to be able to forgive me."

"You cooked up a scheme and it failed, why does that sound familiar?" Carly asks, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. "It's been my experience that nothing is ever really a failure, there is always an angle. You just can't let yourself give up."

"That's not the worst part."

"There's more?"

"I'm late."

"Oh, Lulu," she sighs. It's the first time I've ever seen Carly look genuinely concerned for me. Between the emotions I've been trying to suppress and her rare display of feelings, it becomes too much for me and the tears come to the surface.

"I don't know what to do."

"Are you sure you're…?" I shake my head. "You need to find out. Go to the pharmacy, get a test, and take it. Once you find out, you can make a decision from there. I've been through this for, I kind of know what you're feeling. I know that it's scary and we've never been that close, but I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks, Carly," I whisper, as she wipes away the tears. For a moment, she reminds me of my mother, a likeness that only I could draw. I allow her to hug me briefly until it becomes too awkward for both of us. We pull back and laugh nervously before she returns to her game with Dr. Drake and I head to the 24-hour pharmacy down the block.


	9. Chapter 9

Timidly, I walk down the aisles. More than a dozen different products line the shelves, who knew that there were so many options? There is the one with the digital readout, one with a plus and minus sign, one with different colored windows, one with a varying number of lines, one with words. Looking at the boxes, I begin to wonder what the difference is. Finally, choosing one with the lowest error rate and the cheapest price, I grab it off the shelf.

Just a few feet away, I see the condoms hanging there. Remembering a scene from one of my favorite sitcoms, I grab a box and decide to get them for luck. Ironically, across the aisle, I find a stack of books for children. Shuffling through them, I choose one on farm animals. Whatever the outcome, I will be one step closer to initial preparation.

Rounding the corner, I see the person I would like to see least right now standing in the checkout line. A bottle of cherry cough syrup in one hand and a few magazines in the other, I can tell by the look on her face that she is not going to be pleased to see me. Hoping that I can avoid her, I realize that I'm too late when she grimaces my way and starts to mutter to herself. With no one else available to wait on me and knowing she has seen me, I figure I might as well get in line and just try to get through the next few minutes.

"Great, just what I don't need," she mumbles beneath her breath as I get behind her.

I remain silent, hoping that she'll just ignore me and that we can avoid a public confrontation. Although I deserve every insult that she could toss my way, I know that I am in no condition to handle an audience right now.

"What is that?" she asks, looking down at my hands.

Suddenly, I remember what I was carrying. I had been so concerned about trying to stay out of her line of vision that I didn't even think about what had brought me here. As the thought finally processes, I whip my hands around my back. "Nothing."

"I saw it, Lulu. You may have lied before, but you can't lie your way out of this one. I saw the condoms."

_Oh, thank God! She only saw the condoms_, I think to myself. "Yeah, you caught me. I have condoms, big deal, Georgie. And ooh, look, a book for my nephew."

"Like you're really going to need the condoms! Dillon is never going to sleep with you."

She apparently doesn't know what has already happened, and I don't want to be the one to tell her. "You're probably right, but it doesn't matter. They aren't for him anyhow."

Georgie rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Oh, right. Who are they for? Elvis?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't. I just feel sorry for you, that's all. I have two men who love me, and you have no one. Your love life is so pathetic that you have to make someone up or tell malicious lies to get anywhere."

I wince at her words. Ouch, they really sting. I want to tell her that she's wrong, I want to throw it all back in her face. I want to tell her that Dillon does care about me, and that it hadn't really been all that hard to convince her husband that she cheated on him. If their love was really that strong, why would he take my word over hers? Instead, probably for the first time in my life, I take the high road and remain silent.

"What, no smart come back? Dillon doesn't love you, your father doesn't love you, no one loves you."

"Stop, enough," a voice behind us says firmly. We look at each other and then turn around to see Dillon standing there. "Stop."

"Are you really going to stand here and protect her?"

"No, I'm not," he tells her. "What Lulu did was wrong, we all know that. But no matter what she did, you have no right to bring her father into this. Georgie, you are better than this."

Georgie looks at him, sticking out her chin in defiance. "Fine, take her side once again, Dillon. I am your _wife_, the supposed love of your life."

The cashier looks up at us expectantly, waiting for one of us to step forward. Finally, Georgie turns around and sets her stuff on the corner. Amazed that I had managed to keep the test, now tucked underneath my hoodie, hidden from them, I just count the seconds until they are out of the store and out of my life. Finished paying for her purchases, Georgie throws me one last glare before walking out the door, pulling Dillon by the hand behind her as the door dings overhead. I watch them start to leave before but Dillon stops her on the sidewalk just outside the front entrance. "Miss?" I hear the cashier say but I ignore him. I see Dillon pull his had away, obviously angry. Within seconds, they are out of view.

"Miss?"

"Oh, sorry," I reply, throwing the book and the condoms on the counter before pulling out the test and setting it on the shiny metal surface.

"That'll be 21.32."

Sliding the credit card Nikolas gave me in New York through the reader, I wait for the happy hum of the machine as it processes. After signing the receipt, I stash the bag inside my tote and head out of the store and toward the docks to catch the launch. And there, completely unexpectedly, stands Dillon, leaning casually on a brick wall. The pale moonlight dancing off the water, he is clearly lost in his thoughts.

"What are you doing here?" I ask softly after placing the call to Nikolas' driver.

"Waiting for you. I had to make sure you were okay."

"Shouldn't you be with Georgie?"

"Probably," he laughs, looking down at his hands folded in his laps. I watch him nervously twist his wedding ban, sliding it up and down his finger as though he is contemplating whether or not he should be wearing it. "You know what's funny? It didn't even occur to me to chase after her this time. For the first time in three years, following her wasn't my first impulse."

I'm speechless. "Well, I'm fine."

"I know what she said got to you."

"I deserved it, Dillon. I'd hate me too if I were her. In fact, she'd be lucky to still be alive if it was me. All things considered, I'm getting off easy."

"Still…"

"They're only words. People have said far worse things to me and about me over the years. My mom's catatonic, my dad's a drunken vagabond. It's amazing how thick your skin can get."

"Lu, you don't have to pretend with me."

He called me Lu. It's the first time since all this unraveled that he has called me that. "I'm not. Really, I'm fine," I lie once again. I've told so many lies, what will one more hurt? "Look, the launch is here. I have to go."

"Okay, well, I guess I'll see ya."

"Bye, Dillon," I tell him as I settle into my seat.

"Lu!"

"Yeah?"

"Take care."


	10. Chapter 10

I'm alone now, it's past three in the morning. The house is dark, the only light shining is in my private bath, just off the suite Nikolas had assigned to me upon moving into Wyndamere. The box is sitting in front of me, the paper torn away, the applicator lying on the cold grey marble counter. I've picked it up so many times, trying to convince myself to just get it over. Looking at the stupid piece of plastic, I couldn't understand why I was so scared of it. Oh, yeah, there is the whole change-of-life factor…

"Lulu?" I hear Nikolas call to me. His voice is groggy, clearly still half asleep. "Where are you?"

"I'm coming," I yell, tucking the test back in the box and hiding it beneath a towel in the armoire. "What are you still doing up?"

"I should ask you the same thing. Here, phone," he replies, handing me the cordless and wiping his eyes. I watch him pad off before putting the phone up to my mouth.

"Hello?"

"Lesley Lu."

"Dad, do you have any idea what time it is? Where are you?"

"It's 9 a.m., pumpkin. At least here in London," he replies in a false English accent. "Look, just wanted to check in. I talked to Tracey and she told me that you were staying with that Cassadine spawn you call your brother."

"You're checking up on me?" I ask skeptically.

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

"I'm fine, I just couldn't take any more of the Quartermaines bickering."

"Are you sure that it doesn't have anything to do with what you were talking to me about on the docks?"

"I'm fine," I repeat.

"Gotta run, pumpkin. Take care of yourself, I'll check in when I can," he says before he disconnects.

Grinning to myself at my father's random reappearance in my life, I push the end button and hold the phone to my heart. Looking to the sky, I thank my mother for sending him to me. I know that somehow, her spirit is watching over me. Though she is still on this earth, her spirit was always far too strong to just sit idle inside her vacant body.

Returning to the bathroom, I suddenly feel the confidence to take the test. I know that no matter what the result is, I'm not alone in the world. With my mother watching over me, I have the strength to do this. If it comes out positive, I will be a good mother. A damn good mother. Nikolas, Lucky and Elizabeth will all help me. I'm sure my grandmother and Aunt Bobbie will even chip in. Maybe it will finally be what gets my father to settle down…yeah, right. And if it comes out negative, no one will be any the wiser. Either way, I can do this, and I'm going to do this…

Three minutes later, my confident high has subsided substantially. Rereading the directions for the twelfth time, I wait for the electronic ding of the alarm on my cell phone. Even after it has come and gone, I'm still there with the useless piece of paper in my hands. I'm afraid to turn the applicator over. Pink for yes, blue for no. I'm half hoping that it's purple, that way I can delay the inevitable and remain ignorant to the truth.

"You have to do this, Lu," I tell myself in the mirror.

Ten more minutes later, the applicator is still on the counter. I'm on the floor in the corner, as far away from that thing as I can get in this room. My hair splayed across the cool floor, I've pulled a towel out of a drawer to cover up with. I know that the longer I prolong it, the harder it will be. It just seems like I should take my time with this. The answer to this unspoken question has the power to not only change my life but to also create a life. A life that would forever keep me connected to Dillon.

Rushing out of the bathroom, I search for my bag. Pulling out my beloved red calendar, I grab and pen and head back to my spot in the bathroom. I tear out a page, making two columns. I'm trying to be rational here, weighing the pros against the cons. Like someone once said, I have to know how I feel about it before I find out. Maybe it was on _Friends _or something, either way, it applies.

Reasons for having the baby: the child would be loved by both his or her parents, regardless of how we feel about each other; it would give me a connection that no one could break; Dillon would make an amazing father; maybe Dillon would forgive me; maybe we would have a life together.

I look at the last three reasons and realize how selfish they sound. It can't be about my feelings for Dillon, it has to be about the love of our child. I truly believe that we could do this, whether we are together or not. Being a part of John's life has shown me that I want to be a mother, although I hadn't planned on it being for a number of years. But since life is what happens when you're off making plans, maybe this is how it was supposed to be.

Reasons for not having the baby: we're both young and financially dependent on our families; we're not married, in love, dating or even friends at the moment; his family is crazy; my family is crazy; Georgie.

With both columns fairly equal, I don't know which outcome I'm hoping for. Trembling, I go back into my bedroom to retrieve a few things. Sitting on the floor in the bathroom, I place the box of condoms on my left side and the baby book on the right. I set the applicator on the rug in front of me, face down so that I can't see the results. I say a silent prayer, whispering words that I will never share with anyone in the world. As they come from my mouth, I know what I am wishing for. Looking on either side of me and down at the applicator, I reach for the final object I'd brought a long – the photograph of Dillon and me.

I close my eyes and pick up the applicator. Turning it over in my hand, I see my future clearly through the tiny window before me.


	11. Chapter 11

Still clutching the applicator, I shut off the bathroom light, leaving everything except the photograph on the floor. In a haze, I somehow manage to make it across my bedroom before collapsing on my bed. Pulling my thick down comforter over my head, I snuggle into the warmth of my flannel sheets and enjoy the bliss of my own personal heaven. I'm literally hiding under the covers.

A few minutes later, I convince myself that maybe I should get some sleep. There is nothing I can do now, and maybe, I'll have some perspective in the morning. My whole life lays ahead of me, my future is clear. And that future is a very clear shade of pink. I am indeed with child.

_How am I going to tell Dillon? What am I going to do? Will I keep the baby, should I keep the baby? Is Georgie going to be my baby's stepmother? How will my dad react? How will my brothers react? How will Dillon react? Hell, how will Tracy react?_ The thoughts flood my mind. Only the last one brings me any sort of joy. One of the best things about this entire situation has to be the adverse affect it is going to have on the grandmother-to-be. Already connected to the Spencers via her sham of a marriage to my father, now she will be the grandmother of a Spencer. It's really all very Jerry Springer when you think about it…she is going to be the grandmother of her stepdaughter's illegitimate child. Nice.

As I finally start to drift to sleep, a melodic tune wakes me out of my dreamlike state. Instantly, I recognize the song, our song. Glancing at the clock, I see that it's not even five yet. Why is he up at this hour? Why is he calling me at this hour? Maybe I should ignore him. _Yeah, right_, I think, pulling the phone off my nightstand.

"Dillon, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he says breathlessly.

"Are you sure? You sound like you just ran a marathon."

"I'm fine, I promise," he replies. "I just woke up from the worst dream."

"Is it the one where your mother discusses your, uh, manhood?"

"Worse. I had a dream about you."

"Oh," I answer shortly.

"I don't mean it that way, Lu," he says softly, almost tenderly. "You were at the bottom of this really dark pit, and you were calling for me to come save you. I kept reaching and reaching, trying to just get a grasp on you. I thought I had you at one point and then you slipped from my fingertips. I was so scared."

"Dillon…"

He ignores me and continues. "And then, I decided that I would just jump down and hoped that we would be able to figure out a way for both of us to get out. I thought that if I couldn't get you out and we couldn't get out, at least we would be stuck there together. But when I climbed down to get you, you weren't there."

"Dillon, I'm fine," I whisper. He sounds so close. "Listen to me. I'm at Wyndamere, nowhere near a pit. I know that you would do whatever you had to do to save me, no matter how angry you are at me right now. And I'd do whatever I have to do to get back to you, no matter how much pain I am in right now. I'd fight. There's no way I'd let you fall all that way without being there to catch you in the end."

"I know, it was just so real. I really felt like I had lost you," he whispers.

I hear light pings hitting against the glass of my window as a silence grows on the other end of the line. Flipping on the lamp, I ponder whether or not I should trek across the room to check it out. "There's something outside my window."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go see, hold on."

"Okay, be careful," he tells me.

Carefully, I make my way across the room and pull back the thick curtains. Standing below, with a flashlight in his teeth and a cell phone pressed to his ear, is Dillon Quartermaine. I know that my face lights up to approximately a billion watts when I see him. Putting the phone back to my ear, I raise my hand to wave and mouth, "Hi."

"Hi," he says. "Can I come up?"

I nod before ending the call, throwing it on the bed. I take off like a marathon runner, jumping down the stairs two at a time. It is only when I'm at the bottom that I realize that I should be more careful. I tiptoe past the butler's room and pull the door open to let Dillon inside. Without a word, he comes in. I contemplate my next move before letting my instincts kick in. Before either of us knows it, I'm in his arms, hugging him harder than anyone I've ever hugged before.

"Whoa," he finally says before breaking the embrace.

"Sorry, I'm just happy to see you," I whisper. Nodding my head toward the stairs, we make our way back to my bedroom.

"I'm happy to see you, too," he replies as he sinks onto my bed. "I just had to see you, I had to see that you were okay for myself. It was the worst feeling. I've only ever felt like that once before."

"When was that?"

"When I thought Georgie…when I thought Georgie was going to die after she fell at the Pizza Shack. Dammit, I didn't want to bring her up," he chides himself.

"It's okay, Dillon. She's a big part of your life."

"She is. She was. She is. I don't know." I stay silent as he leans back against the headboard. I hear some rustling as he reaches underneath the sheet. "What is this?" he asks, holding up the photograph.

"You know what it is."

He smiles at me with pursed lips. I watch him stare at the photograph, tracing something with his fingertip. "I do," he whispers before looking up into my eyes. "Come here."

"What?"

"Come here," he repeats, patting the bed beside him. "You look exhausted, I'm exhausted. We both need to sleep. I'll rest much better knowing that you're okay."

"Aw, Dillon, we're having our very own Dawson and Joey moment," I remark sarcastically.

"You're much hotter than Joey and maybe even more cynical," he taunts as I slide beneath the covers beside him. He doesn't wrap his arm around me, he just settles in next to me, or at least tries to.

"Stop moving, Dillon. I'm not going to be able to sleep. And take your shoes off"

"Fine, fine," he grumbles, yanking his shoes off under the sheets and throws them on the floor. Tugging on the blankets, I feel his hand graze mine before stopping. Stopping on something. "What is this?"

"What is what?"

"This?" he asks, holding up the little piece of plastic that holds the key to our future.


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, God," I whisper, my hands covering my face as I feel myself starting to breakdown. In the excitement of seeing Dillon again, I had forgotten about taking the test into my bedroom. He is sitting on the edge of the bed now, his head in his hands. I don't know what to say to him, there are no words. My body becomes racked with tears as I unsuccessfully attempt to stifle my sobs.

"Lulu, what does pink mean?" he asks after a few minutes. I can feel him staring at me, but I can't look up. I know that I will completely crumble if I stare into his eyes.

"Well, it doesn't mean no," I remark smartly.

"How is that possible? We only slept together once, and we were careful. I made sure of that."

"I guess nothing is fool-proof."

"When did you find out?"

"I took the test a few hours ago," I answer, finally allowing myself to look up at him.

"Who else knows?"

"Just Carly."

"You told Carly?!"

"I knew she would understand, Dillon," I whimper as I start to cry again. Burying my face in my hands, I feel like everything is crashing around me. That is, until I feel the familiar warmth of his arms slipping around me, drawing me into him.

"Lu, we'll get through this," he says into my hair, stroking my back lightly. "We just need to figure out what we're going to do. This is new, and you haven't been to the doctor yet. We'll go see what he has to say, and then we can make a decision."

"We?"

"We're in this together, Lu, you and me. I'm not going anywhere."

"But what about…?"

"None of that matters right now. We'll figure it all out. For now, you need to get some sleep."

"I don't think I can fall asleep."

"Let's try," he tells me warmly.

"Don't leave me, Dillon."

"I won't leave you. Not now, not ever."

His words bring me peace as I lie back on the bed. I feel his arms slip around me as he scoots closer to my body. His chin rests on my shoulder as his fingertips travel up and down my arm.

"I'm really scared."

"Me too," he adds.

That is the last thing I remember before I finally fall into a deep, fitful sleep. My dreams are very vivid that night. I can see Dillon and me together, a few years older, walking with a blonde little girl through the park. We're so happy, a picturesque little family enjoying time together outdoors. It's so real that I can almost feel the love that we share between the three of us. Even in my dream, I feel myself wishing that it all was real.

It's past noon when I finally wake from my slumber. Dillon is awake, his hands splayed across my stomach. My hands drop down to where his rest as I interlock my fingers in his. We're as close as two people can be, our hearts beating in unison and our breaths as one.

"I made a call a few minutes ago. You have a doctor's appointment in two hours."

"When I was taking that test last night, I kept thinking to myself, why should have a stupid piece of plastic have the power to change my entire life? And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it wasn't the answer that would change my life. My life already changed. It changed the night that we slept together."

"I've been up for hours, thinking about how this is all going to work out. The truth is, I don't know how we're going to do this, but I know that we'll figure out a way. If you're pregnant, I am going to love this baby like no child has ever been loved before. We are going to be amazing parents."

"I want this baby, Dillon. I don't need to go to the doctor to know that I'm pregnant, I knew it even before I took the home test," I divulge. "I already love our child, just like I already love you."

"You love me?"

"Dillon, I have loved you since the moment you came into my life," I tell him, searching his eyes. He doesn't say anything for a moment, and I don't expect him to. I just smile at him and wink before rolling off the bed. "I'm going to go take a shower. You should probably go home and change. We have an appointment to get to."

"Yeah," he tells me before pulling his shoes back on. "I'll be back at in about an hour. We can go grab some lunch at Kelly's before your appointment. You need to eat."

As he leaves, the three words that he didn't say are still hanging in the air. The things left unsaid are often the words that we hear the loudest. I shake my head, emptying my head of my thoughts and head for the shower. Tossing the applicator in the trash can beneath some papers, I turn on the water and let steam fill the room. Losing myself in the safe heat of the shower, I find myself talking to my stomach.

"Hey, baby, it's your mommy. Your daddy and I love you very much, even if we aren't together. I will find a way to make sure that you have a family. Your mommy is going to figure this all out before you come home to us. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that you have a happy life. I will never let you feel unloved or unwanted."


	13. Chapter 13

True to his word, Dillon was standing on the pier waiting for me promptly at one. I could spot him from the distance, leaning over the water expectantly as he watched the launch make its way from Spoon Island. As the boat pulled next to the dock, Dillon reached out his hand to help me out, silently dismissing the driver who usually helped me on and off the launch.

Dressed in a deep green button-up and dark faded jeans, he looked amazing. I had spent the entire time we were apart meticulously choosing the right outfit for the occasion. Finally settling on a red and white gauzy skirt and matching ruffled top, I figured that you only find out you're having your first child once, and even if nothing else went right, at least I'd be dressed well.

"You look beautiful," he tells me, slipping his hand in mine as we start to walk. "Are you hungry?"

"Actually, no, I'm feel more nauseous than anything," I admit. "Maybe it's just nerves."

"Could be morning sickness," he replies worriedly. "Will you try to eat? I really think you should."

I nod. "Is this what the next nine months are going to be like? You trying to get me to eat and me feeling sick all the time?"

"If we're lucky," he laughs before pushing the door to my family's cozy café open. We both see her at the same time, his hand falling limply between us. I look up at him as he becomes frozen in his spot. Moving past him, I flop into a chair at my favorite corner table so that I could look out the window.

Georgie looks at him and then at me, shaking her head. I feel sorry for her in that moment; I know what it's like to watch him with someone else. His eyes lock with hers again, and I realize that the look in his eyes is different. Rather than the undying stare of love they used to share, this look is filled with sadness and fear. He looks down at his feet and then looks up again briefly before sinking into the chair across from me.

I remain silent, not wanting to act angrily but feeling consumed with hurt. "I'm sorry. I just didn't expect to see her, Lu," he whispers, reaching his hands across the table. I place my palm on his and squeeze for a moment before pulling it away.

"Can I take you kids' order?" Mike asks, pulling a white pad from his apron. Georgie must have sent him. Silently, I thank God that she had enough sense to not make another scene.

"I'll just have dry toast and hot tea," I reply.

"And some fruit, bring her some fruit please, Mike," Dillon adds. "I'll have a cup of coffee and the club sandwich."

"I don't want fruit," I remark.

"Please?"

"Okay, fine, bring me a small fruit plate," I relent, causing Mike to laugh before disappearing behind the counter.

When we're alone again, Dillon leans across the table. "Are you nervous?"

"Yeah, you?"

"I have a feeling I should be more nervous than I am."

Mike returns with my tea and Dillon's coffee. Placing the two white ceramic mugs in front us on the table, we're soon alone again. "So who did you make the appointment with?"

"Dr. Kelly. She seems to be the obstetrician of choice around General Hospital these days. I remember Alan telling Skye that she's the best in the city when she started looking."

"Dillon, there's only one thing I haven't brought up. I don't really have any money. How are we going to pay for all of this?"

Dillon rubbed his thumb across my wrist. "You don't need to worry about it. I have plenty of money in my trust fund. My mother doesn't control what I do with that money now that I'm 18. She won't even know I'm using it."

"So, we're really going to do this?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"If that test comes out positive, and we both know that it will, then there is nothing else in the world I think I could want more."

I know his words are honest, I can feel it from the very tip of my toes to the crown of my head and in all the places in between. "Me neither."

Once lunch is through, a car arrives outside the café to sweep us off to the hospital. It's raining outside now and just before we head outside, Dillon wraps his hooded jacket around my bare shoulders. Holding a newspaper over our heads, we run toward the car, water sloshing around our ankles.

"I really am sorry," he says as soon as the car pulls away.

I shake my head. "Stop apologizing, Dillon. I don't expect you to just be over her all of a sudden. I know that you were with her for three years, you married her," I tell him. "Look, you just found about this child less than 12 hours ago. We don't even have a positive confirmation. We have nine months to figure this out."

"Thanks," he says, putting his arm around me in the backseat and pulling me next to his body. I lean my head on his shoulder and try to convince myself that what I had just told him was honestly how I felt.

All too quickly, we pull up to the front entrance of the hospital. "Can you pull around to the private entrance?" I ask.

"Are you sure, miss?" he inquires.

"My brother is the major contributor to this place, and his family runs it. I think they'll let us in," I reply.

Dillon helps me out of the car once we arrive to the private back door. The rain has stopped now, and a few stray rays of sun have managed to peak out from behind the dark clouds. I can feel him becoming nervous next to me as the car pulls away. I turn to him and place my hands on either side of his face. Leaning up on my tiptoes, I place a gentle kiss on his lips. "I want you to come in with me. I don't think I could stand waiting in there alone."

He takes my hands in his and places them on my stomach. Looking down at me, he whispers, "You never have to be alone again."


	14. Chapter 14

Stepping off the elevator on the fifth floor, I smile at Dillon and timidly make my way toward Dr. Kelly's office. I look around to see if I recognize anyone working, but thankfully, most of our family seems to be missing in action from the hospital this particular afternoon.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll go get the paperwork," he tells me, pointing to an armchair near the door.

I nod. "Hurry back," I implore, not wanting to be left alone for even a second. The office is unusually cold as I pull Dillon jacket closed around me.

"Do you want me to do this or do you?"

"I'll do it," I say, taking the clipboard from his shaking hands. Setting the paperwork on my lap, I reach over for his hands. As his warm skin brushes against mine, I feel him stop trembling and relax. Once I feel that he is sufficiently calm, I set to work on filling out the blank forms. _Name, check. Address, check. Sexual history, check. Maternal medical history, check. Paternal medical history…_ "Dillon, can you fill out this part?"

He looks down at the papers as I hand them over. "I'm the father," he says suddenly, as though it is all finally sinking in. Up to now, he's been relatively calm, maybe a little bit on the quiet side but constantly reassuring me that everything is going to be fine.

"Yeah, you're the father," I repeat. "It's going to be okay, Dillon. We just need to fill out this form and then we'll go in while I take the test. Once that's done, we'll figure out what to do next."

"I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around," he says, looking down at the paper to avoid my gaze.

"We need to be there for each other. I have a feeling that we're both going to freak out from time to time, but I feel better knowing that you're going to be there to keep me sane. I want you to know that I will be there to do the same thing for you."

"What if we freak out at the same time?"

"Then at least we'll be doing it together. We don't have to be alone anymore, remember?"

"You're right," he says, softening significantly. He grips the pen and starts to scribble his family's entire history in his trademark scrawl. Dillon gives me a reassuring smile and squeezes my hand before returning the clipboard to a uniformed nurse positioned behind a sliding glass window. Sitting down next to me, he reaches over for my hand, lacing his fingers through mine.

I lift our hands to my face and place a soft kiss on his knuckles. "Did she say how long it would be?"

"Just a few minutes," he replies, picking up a magazine with his free hand. He sets it on my lap and I flip it open with my right hand. Looking over my shoulder, we both pretend to read a story on baby proofing until the nurse finally calls my name.

"Lesley Lu Spencer." We follow her down a white hallway to a room in the back corner. The floor is white, the ceiling is white, the hallway is white. Everything seems so cold and sterile. I shiver, off put by the lack of feeling around us. The nurse pulls a packaged dressing gown from a bureau and hands it to me. "You need to change into this. The doctor will be in to see you in a few minutes."

"Thanks," I say dismissively as she exits the room, shutting the door loudly as she leaves. "Wow, she was really friendly, eh?"

"Her bedside manner certainly is lacking," he comments. "Should I step into the hall?"

I start to tell him no, but suddenly, I feel very embarrassed. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all," he says, kissing me on the cheek as he passes me on his way out.

Alone, I stare at myself in the mirror on the back of the door for a moment. Touching my fingertips to my lips, I press them to where Dillon just kissed me before putting them on my stomach. Changing my clothes as quickly as possible, I soon find my perfect outfit folded neatly on a metal table and myself in an itchy lavender paper gown. "You can come back in," I call to Dillon from a cracked door.

"Mmm, hot," he growls playfully, wrapping his arms around my waist. I know that he is trying to take my mind off of everything, and for the moment, it's working. He's nuzzling my cheek playfully when Dr. Kelly comes into the room.

"Miss Spencer, what brings you into my office today?"

"We're here to take a pregnancy test," Dillon answers for me.

"How long has it been since your last period?"

"I'm three weeks late."

"And I assume that you are sexually active?"

"Well, I've slept with Dillon…once."

"Okay, well, I am going to draw some blood from you, and I will send it to the lab to be tested. You should call or come by my office in a few hours for the results. Mr. Quartermaine, would mind stepping out into the hall?"

"I'd like to stay," he tells her.

"Please, I want Dillon to say," I reaffirm.

"Fine," she tells us both. "Dillon, I want you to sit here, up by her head."

Dillon nods, scooting the low stool to my left. He lays one arm across the back of the table behind me. I reach for his other and squeeze it as the doctor prepares the vial. He looks down at me and flashes me a smile. "This is it, Lu, we're almost there."

"I know, I can't believe how much can change in one day."

"There is something I want to tell you," he whispers as the Dr. Kelly inserts the needle.

I feel faint as my eyes flutter. "Dillon, I don't feel so well."

"Dr. Kelly?" I hear him ask. "Dr. Kelly!" And then, everything went black.


	15. Chapter 15

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was his face. He was worried, small silver tears evident in his shining eyes as he looked at me expectantly. "Where did you go?" he whispered, stroking my hair.

"Am I okay? Is the baby okay?" I ask, struggling to sit up.

Dillon presses me back toward the table. "You need to lay back, Lu."

"You passed out, Lulu. I believe you may be anemic. I need to run this blood work through the lab, and then we will know more. I'm going to go get a wheelchair to take you out. Why don't you get dressed in the mean time?"

Leaving us alone, Dillon helped me sit up, placing his hand on the small of my back as I slide off the table. I feel slightly dizzy for a moment before gathering my bearings.

"Will you be okay in here alone?"

I shake my head. "Stay. It's nothing you haven't seen before," I tell him as I slide my skirt on under the dressing gown.

"Are you sure?" he asks, holding up my top. I nod, raising my arms above my head. Dillon slowly lifts the gown off. I feel his eyes travel down my torso, causing me to blush. Tugging my gauzy tank over my head, he pulls my hair out from underneath and lets it fall around my shoulders. Now dressed, I lean against his chest for comfort. "You had me scared there for a few minutes. Seeing you fall away from me like that, I didn't like it at all."

"But I came back to you, Dillon. I will always come back," I reassure him. His head dips down, our lips meeting in a tender caress. Pulling away, I reach for the hoodie and wrap it around my bare arms. Between the frigid temperature and the passionate kiss, goosebumps prickled my smooth skin. "What were you telling me before I fainted?"

"There will be time for that later, Lu. For now, let's just find out the news and get you out of here," he tells me. On cue, Dr. Kelly returns with the wheel chair and instructs us to wait for the results in the waiting room.

"I don't need a wheelchair."

"It's hospital policy," the doctor declares professionally before leaving us behind again.

"Your chariot awaits, m'lady," Dillon proclaims chivalrously. I slowly sink into the chair as he pushes me out to our appointed location. He stands behind the chair, nervously tapping his feet to the instrumental playing in the background. We are both anxious for the news. Finally, Dr. Kelly arrives, holding a stack of charts on a silver medical clipboard.

"Lulu, would you like to speak about this in private?"

"No, I want Dillon here."

"Well, first of all, it does appear that you are anemic. I am going to prescribe you this iron supplement, just take one daily. You should also try to eat foods that are rich in iron, things such as broccoli and meat. It's all here in this brochure," she explains, handing me a booklet and a white prescription slip. "Now, congratulations are in order. In eight short months, it seems that you will have a new person in your life."

"I'm pregnant," I whisper, drawing my hand to cover my mouth in amazement. I can feel my eyes light up, happiness radiating throughout my body. I look up at Dillon, who is looking down at me with the goofiest grin. "We're going to have a baby."

Dillon drops to his knees beside my chair and takes my face in his hands. Leaning in, he kisses me deeply, in front of Dr. Kelly, the nurses and all the other patients sitting in the waiting room. "We're having a baby," he repeats, dropping short kisses on my lips over and over.

I'm amazed by Dillon as we grin at each other like fools. We're both crying now, overcome with happiness at our unexpected blessings. We can deal with the scary stuff later, but for now, we are choosing to be joyful.

"Here is some reading I think you should both take a look at," Dr. Kelly says, interrupting our private celebration. "This is for prenatal vitamins. I have scheduled another appointment for you in four weeks. It's all in the packet. Until then, feel free to call me any time."

"Thank you, Dr. Kelly," Dillon says as he helps me climb out of the chair.

She nods and starts to walk away. Looking over her shoulder, she smiles brightly at me. "Congratulations, you two!" she calls before disappearing behind a heavy door.

When we're alone again, Dillon reignites the joyful mood we had been sharing before. He wraps me in a bear hug, picking me up off the grand and spinning me for a moment. A patient giggles next to us, and he sets me firmly on my feet. Grabbing my hand, he leads me toward the elevator. "How do you want to celebrate?"

"We could tell your mother," I answer, trying to appear serious.

"Or not," he laughs. "Well, champagne is clearly out of the question, and you just ate a few hours ago. We could go shopping."

I shake my head. "I'm not really feeling up to walking around or being around a lot of people. I think a more private party is in order."

"Oh, really?" he growls into my ear as we step on the elevator. He leans against the back wall, his arms around my waist as we watch the numbers light up for each floor. It stops on the second floor. Elizabeth is waiting when the doors slide open.

"Lulu, what are you doing here?"

"Nothing, Liz," I lie, stepping out of Dillon's embrace to hug my sister-in-law.

Dillon tries to stifle a sneeze behind us. "Hey, Dillon," Elizabeth greets him over my shoulder. "Are you two going down?"

I nod as she steps onto the elevator, pushing the lobby button. "So, are you off?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go pick up Cam from Grams' house, and then we are going to meet Lucky in the park for an early picnic supper. You're welcome to join us if you don't have any plans."

"Actually, I think Dillon and I are going to hang out," I reply as the doors open to reveal the crowded lobby. Dillon steps away from us, pulling out his cell phone to call for a car to pick us up.

"So, things look like they're good between you and Dillon again?" she asks, elbowing me in the ribs.

I smile widely. "They're good, really good. I love him, Elizabeth."

"I know you do, just be careful, sweetheart," she reminds me as Dillon returns.

"Elizabeth, did you need a ride? The car should be here in a few minutes."

"No, I have the car here, but thank you," she answers before leaning over to hug me goodbye. "Call me tomorrow, Lulu. We should go to lunch, I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Sounds good," I tell her before she leaves.

Alone again, Dillon can't seem to keep his hands off me. Running his fingertips down my arms, through my hair, across my stomach, down my back, his movement on my body is constant.

"I can't believe this!" Georgie yells, breaking us both out of our happy haze. _You have got to be kidding me_, I think to myself. _How many times in one day can I possibly run into her?_ "Are you trying to throw this in my face?"

"Georgie, you know I wouldn't do that," Dillon says, pulling away from me to face his ex-girlfriend.

"Then why are you here? You know that I volunteer here on Thursdays, Dillon."

"It must have slipped my mind," he tells her truthfully. "Lulu had an appointment, that's why we are here. It had nothing to do with you, I promise."

"Getting your latest STD results?" she asks snidely.

"Yeah, something like that," I state evenly.

"Whatever, I don't have time for this. I'm already late as it is."

"Well, don't let us stop you," I remark.

"I certainly didn't stop you," she says pointedly, eyeing Dillon as she marches past us.

"Well, that was lovely," I mumble.

"Don't let her get to you."

"Shouldn't that be my line?"

"Perhaps," he chuckles. "The car is here."

As we slide in the back seat of the sleek car, the driver turns over his shoulder to look back at his two young passengers. "Where to, Mr. Quartermaine?"

"Please drop us at the boathouse."

"Ah, returning to the scene of the crime?" I taunt.

"You'll bite your tongue when you see what I have planned for you," he murmurs.

"You have a surprise for me? Tell me!" I plead.

Dillon shakes his head. "You'll see soon enough."

"Please!"

"Some things are worth the wait. And like you, Lesley Lu Spencer, this is one of them."


	16. Chapter 16

"What have you done?" I cry, stepping into the boathouse. The room is dark, lit only by white taper candles of varying lengths. Gone are the tan cushions symbolic of our first time. Instead, a wrought iron bed has been moved along the wall. A vase of dark red roses sits next to one side, and a bottle of sparkling cider is chilling in a silver bucket. Soft jazz pours from the speakers of a small stereo in the corner as Dillon comes up behind me.

"Do you like it?" he asks.

"How did you do this?"

"We have friends in high places," he explains. "I called Alice and had her take care of it. Every little detail is exactly like I imagined it."

I watch him cross the room and pour the bubbly liquid into a crystal champagne flute. Searching in the large picnic basket next to the bucket, he manages to produce a chuck of brie and some flatbread. He hands me a glass before taking his own and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sipping quietly, I smile to myself over the rim of my glass. Looking around the room, I can't believe that I am here in this moment with him. "This is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," he tells me. He takes my glass and sets it on the table. Grasping my hand, he lifts me to my feet and guides me to an empty spot in the room. We fall easily into a dance, the candlelight creating a romantic halo around us. "Should we talk about everything?"

"For tonight, let's just pretend that nothing has changed."

"I don't want to pretend that nothing has changed. You changed my life, Lu. In the best possible way, you broke away everything that I used to know, leaving me with this entirely new way of living that I never knew I wanted. You and this child are my life now."

"Don't say things you don't mean."

"With every fiber of my being, I mean what I said."

"I love you, Dillon."

My words cause him to kiss me. Walking backward, he guides me over to the bed. I lean my head to the side, allowing him to plant a trail of kisses down my neck and across my shoulder blades. Tugging on the bottom of his shirt, he lets me peel it away from his body. Pressing my hands against his firm chest, I am breathless at his the very sight of him. Hungrily, I go in for another kiss as he fumbles with my shirt.

Lifting me effortlessly me in his arms, he lays me on my back. Crawling on top of me, he starts the journey down my body. I run my fingers in his hair, guiding him down my torso. His kisses are fleeting, like a whisper against my skin. I moan and arch my back as he caresses my body with his strong arms. Looking up at me, he smiles sweetly and plants a tender kiss on my stomach before moving back to my lips.

The next few minutes are filled with yearning touches, the removal of clothing. Our bodies finally completely bare, he rolls me over so that I am on top of him. Neither of us of move for what seems like an eternity. I savor the warmth of his skin on mine, his hands tangled in my hair, his lips against mine. His every movement causes me to moan, begging him for more of himself until we are finally one.

Later, after we are both wrapped in each other beneath the thick quilt, we watch the lights flicker against the old wooden wall. My ear is pressed to his chest. I can hear the constant bass of his heart beating. He sighs, his eyes falling heavy with exhaustion as I tuck my arm under his.

"So, this time was way better than the first," I say finally, disrupting the silence that had settled over the room.

"Mmhmm, I'd have to agree with you there."

"It mattered more this time."

"Yeah, definitely. Not that the first time didn't mean anything. It's just that this time was more honest."

"Have you forgiven me, Dillon? I mean, really forgiven me."

"Yes. Everything before today doesn't matter anymore, it doesn't even count. What counts now is the rest of our lives and how we live it. I hope that we'll do this together."

"That's what I want, too," I say with a yawn.

"You should sleep. You look exhausted."

"I am, but in a good way."

"Me too," he growls lustfully, turning us both on our sides.

Outside, I notice that the sky is dark. Knowing that I should call Nikolas but not wanting to move, I try to push any sort of responsible thought out of my head. However, the nagging warning in my head won't disappear. "I should call Nikolas, let him know where I am."

Dillon turns over and reaches his arm for the pair of disheveled jeans he had abandoned earlier. Handing me his cell phone, he tells me to call my brother to let him know that I was staying at the Quartermaines tonight.

"Nikolas?" I ask.

"Lulu? Where are you calling from? I don't recognize the number."

"It's Dillon's cell phone. He and I are hanging out. We just had a long talk, all is forgiven," I tell my brother as Dillon nibbles my ear lobe. I writhe under his touch, trying to suppress a giggle. "I'm going to stay here tonight. I'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay, be careful, Lu. Call me in the morning to let me know of your plans, please."

"I will. Thanks, Nik, for everything. Love you."

"Love you too," he replies as we end the call.

Tossing the cell phone back on top of the pile of discarded clothes, I turn around to face Dillon. "You, Mr. Quartermaine, are very naughty."

"You ain't seen nothing yet, babe," he tells me, capturing me in his arms and tickling my sides. He knows exactly which spots to hit, digging his fingertips into my skin as I try to wiggle out of his reach.

When he finally stops, I look at him. He's gazing at me as though there is something else he wants to tell me, like there is a confession hanging on the edge of tongue but he isn't brave enough to make it quite yet. I know him well enough not to push it, all will be revealed in his own time. He opens and shuts his mouth a few times before deciding to keep his thoughts under wraps for now.

"What do you think the baby will be?" he asks finally. I know that this is not the question he wants to voice, but I let it go for the time being.

"I have a feeling that it's a little girl," I say, sitting up. I lean over the edge of the bed and grab his shirt. As I slip it around my shoulders, he sits up and begins buttoning it up from behind me. Leaving the top few undone, he places a kiss on my clavicle before reaching for his boxers. I hear the elastic snap as he pulls them around his narrow hips. We fall back against the sheets, both of us staring up at the ceiling with my head resting on his bare chest. One hand rests lazily at my side; the other is absently thumb wrestling with his. I don't even realize we are doing it until I feel him pin me.

"Do you have a name in mind if it is a girl?" he asks as we start another round.

I smile. Of course I had thought about, I am female after all. I wonder if I should play it cool and let him think that I'm nonchalant about it. However, enthusiasm overtakes any ounce of poise left in me. "Yes, what do you think of Lorelai?"

"It's pretty."

"Well, it's sort of a hybrid of two people that mean a lot to both of us. Lore is for my mother, Laura, and lai is for your grandmother, Lila."

"What about Grace for the middle name?"

"Why Grace?"

"Don't laugh, but you have always reminded me of Grace Kelly."

"How could I laugh that? That's so sweet. Lorelai Grace, I love it."

"That sounds perfect. I think Lila and Laura both would have liked it."

"Yeah. You know, I really wish my mother was here. She'd know exactly what to do right now."

"Well, you can always ask my mother for advice."

"Ask Tracey? Sure, only if you ask my father for help."

Dillon laughs. "Never gonna happen."

"Exactly. What about you, any names for a boy?"

"Well, it seems to be a tradition in your family to use Lucas in some form. Since you already have a Luke, a Lucky and a Lucas, maybe it can be a middle name."

"We could use my last name, since I am assuming that we want this child to have your last name."

"I would, thank you. I didn't want to ask, but I really do want him or her to have the Quartermaine name. I want my child to have some concrete connection to me."

"So what do you think about Lucca Spencer?"

"I like it, and I have a feeling that your father will like it. God knows, you have to pay tribute to the great Spencer name."

"Hell yeah," I remark, pumping my fist in the air. "You don't have any men in your life you want to name him after?"

"I've never really had a father, I barely even remember him. And I'm not close to Ned, even though he is my brother. Grandfather is fine, but I don't want my child to be named after him. You have more of a connection to your family. _I_ have more of a connection to _your_ family. It just makes sense."

"So, it's settled. In eight months, we will have a little Lorelai Grace or a Lucca Spencer."

"And I can't wait," he murmurs into my ear before we both fall into a deep, blissful slumber.


	17. Chapter 17

It's late in the morning before either of us awakens. Dillon is still asleep beside me when I crawl from beneath the sheets and start to dress, hoping not to shake him from his dreamy state. Searching through the mess we had created the night before, I retrieve my cell phone from a bag and disappear outside to call my brother.

"Hey, Nik."

"Hey, Lu. What's up?"

"Not much, just wanted to let you know that I am going to meet Liz for lunch and then I'll be home later," I tell him. "I was thinking that we could have dinner tonight, all of us siblings together."

"Sounds good. You work on Elizabeth, and I'll get in touch with Lucky. We can have it here at Wyndamere. I'll talk to Mrs. Landsbury about setting up something nice in the formal dining room. It's been too long since we were all together."

"Sounds good, I'll see you later," I tell him before pushing the end button. Peeking through the window, I see that the bed is now vacant.

"Hi," he whispers as he comes out the front door. Barefoot in his jeans, I'm fairly certain that he has never looked as good to me as he does right now. The sleepy smile on his face only adds to the persona.

"Hey," I greet him as I move into his arms and hug him. Grabbing his wrist, I look at the steel watch hanging loosely on his wrist. "I need to call Elizabeth to set up a lunch date."

"Do you want some privacy?"

"No," I tell him, shaking my head. I flip the phone back open and press the speed dial button that will connect me to her. "Liz, it's Lu."

"Hey, sweetie, how did everything go with Dillon?"

"They went well. I'll tell you everything over lunch at Kelly's. What do you say about an hour?"

"Sounds good. I'll have Lucky watch Cam so we can have a little alone time."

"See you then," I say before hanging up. "I have to meet Liz in an hour for lunch."

"Well, that means I still have an hour," he murmurs as he starts to kiss my neck.

Moving away, I stop him. "No, I need to go by and see Carly. She deserves to know what's going on. I'll go meet Liz straight from there."

"When will I see you again then?" he asks. I can read a look of disappointment in his tanned face. He avoids my eyes as he looks past me and over the shimmering water.

"Tonight at dinner with my family at Wyndamere," I implore hopefully.

"We're telling them tonight?"

"They'll be the easy ones, Dillon. I figure it's good practice for when we have to break the news to the Quartermaines and my father."

"I'm not sure which is going to be worse."

"Well, I'll have Aunt Bobbie there when I tell my dad. She somehow always manages to calm him down. My brothers will be supportive, though Lucky might make a threat or two. Nikolas will be polite, and Elizabeth will at least feign happiness," I explain.

"The Quartermaines will yell, which will inevitably turn into bickering. Edward will talk about how I'm disrespecting the family name, and Alan will ask how I could be so stupid. Monica will remind everyone that this is her house, and Ned will just kind of fade away in the background. Emily might tear up a little bit, but she'll be supportive. And my mother, well, Tracey will probably just rant and rave."

"Does this kid stand any chance of being normal?"

"A Spencer-Quartermaine byproduct? Not a chance," he laughs. "You should probably get going if you want to make it by Carly's in time."

"Yeah," I concede.

"Why is it suddenly so hard to watch you leave?"

"It's all in the charm of being me," I tell him, referring to a line he had once said to me. "I will see you tonight. Come dressed nice, Nik is breaking out the formal dining room for the occasion. Be there at seven."

"I'll be there," he says. "Do you want me to call you a car?"

"I'll just call Nikolas' driver."

"Let me," he says, taking my phone. "Why don't you go inside and gather your stuff? That way, we'll have more time together while we wait for the car."

"Aw."

"Shut up."

By the time I return with my bag and his hoodie in hand, he has made the call and is sitting on the lounge chair outside the door. "Here's your jacket."

"Keep it in case you get cold later."

I smile and nod, tucking it through the handle of my bag before setting it all on the sidewalk. His arms are out as he reaches for me, pulling me into his lap. "You know, I'm not going to be able to do this for long. Eventually, I'm going to be too big for you to hold."

"Never."

I snake my arms around his neck and lean down to kiss him. I want to stay like this with him forever, but the arrival of the car signals that my dream will not become a reality – at least not today.

"Your ride's here." I groan and slide off his lap. Dillon reaches for my bag and leads me by the hand to the car. Throwing the parcel in the backseat, he turns and gathers me in his arms for the final time that morning. "It's crazy. I miss you already."

"My mother always told me that you should keep a man wanting more," I whisper as Dillon kisses his fingertips and presses them to my stomach. I smile, realizing how much attention is going to be placed on that part of my body in the coming months.

"Bye, baby," he murmurs toward my tummy. "Bye, baby," he repeats to me, dropping a tender kiss on my lips.

"Bye," I counter, kissing him again. Sinking down into the seat, I raise my hand and wave. "I'll see you tonight. I love you."

"I love you, too," he replies as I pull the door shut. His words don't sink in as the car starts to pull away. Just as we are about to make the first corner away from the boathouse, I finally realize what he has said.

"Stop the car, stop the car," I insist. Throwing the door open, I take off running back to where he is standing. He is grinning, knowing that I just got his admission. The confession that held him back last night has finally come out, and now his heart is free. I can hear my feet pounding on the gravel as I reach him, throwing myself in his arms. "You said you loved me."

"I did?" he asks, feign innocence.

"You said you loved me!"

"I love you, Lesley Lu Spencer. With all that I am, I love you and our child."

"Welove you, too, Dillon," I tell him before showering him with kisses. On his eyelids, on his cheek, on his neck, on his temple, on his forehead, on his lips. The tears are starting to come and I giggle. "I guess pregnancy makes you sensitive."

"I can take anything you throw at me," he says with a laugh. With one final kiss, he pushes me back toward the car. "You have somewhere to be."

Silently, I walk back to the car. I feel as though I'm floating on air from this emotional high. Nothing has ever felt as good as this. The entire car ride to Carly's house, I know that I can't stop smiling. I know that this stupid grin is plastered on my face and nothing short of a total travesty could take it away from me.

"Hi, Lulu," my red-headed second cousin says as he opens the front door of Carly's cottage. His nanny stands behind him, her palm resting flatly on his head. She smiles at me and moves aside as Michael leads me into the foyer.

"Hey, Michael. Is your mom here?"

"Mom, Lulu is there to see you!" he yells, running out of the room. I can hear him having a muffled conversation with his mother before they both return to the living room.

"Hey, Lu," Carly says warmly. "Michael, why don't you go upstairs with Leticia and help Morgan pack some toys to take to the park."

"Okay, Mom. Bye, Lulu." Michael says before bouncing up the stairs and out of sight.

"Here, sit," she says, patting the couch. Perching on the edge of the suede sofa, Carly looks at me questioningly. "So?"

"I am."

"And does he know?"

"I told him everything," I gush. "He went with me to the appointment. He's being so supportive, it's amazing. I feel like my life has completely turned around in such a short time. I keep thinking it's a dream and that I'm going to wake up eventually."

"Sometimes, the best things happen without us realizing it. We're just going about our lives, and then suddenly, everything is different. You are given this amazing gift that you never would have thought you wanted."

"It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"When I got pregnant by Sonny, I was fairly certain that I had ruined my entire life. Jason had left, and I was stuck with this man that seemed to hate me. But when he found out about the baby, our entire lives changed. And now, here we are years later, and we have the two most amazing sons."

"But you're not together anymore…"

"No, but the love I shared with Sonny, it was the love of a life time. I know that everyone grew tired of our breakups and makeups, but it was always worth it if it meant I got to be Sonny. And besides, all of that has led me here, to my life with Jason and the boys. Given the chance, I wouldn't change a thing."

"I just wanted to come by and tell you in person that I found out. Other than Dillon, you're the first person I've told. And I wanted to thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, Lulu. We Spencers have to stick together."

After a few more minutes of conversation, I'm on my way to Kelly's. On the ride over, I contemplate whether or not I should tell Elizabeth. I feel like I'm lying to her if I don't tell her, she's like my sister. As we pass the hospital, I decide to wait until I can reveal the news to my entire family. Then, I realize that someone is missing from this equation.

"Hey, Grandma," I say into my cell phone.

"Lesley Lu! It's been weeks since I talked to you, let alone seen you."

"Well, I was hoping you wanted to come to dinner at Wyndamere tonight. You could see me and the rest of your grandchildren all at once. Nikolas is going to have a formal family get together. Lucky, Liz and Cam are all going to be there."

"I'd love to!" she cries. "What time should I be there?"

"Seven."

"Great, I'll see you then, sweetheart," she replies just as the car stops in front of Kelly's. Inside, I can see Elizabeth already sitting at a table, sipping coffee and awaiting my arrival. As I crawl out of the car, I wonder how I am going to manage to make it through the next hour without telling her every last detail of my devastatingly happy new life.


	18. Chapter 18

I'm upstairs alone at Wyndamere hours later

I'm upstairs alone at Wyndamere hours later. I had managed to make it through a long lunch with Elizabeth without spilling my secret. I'd spent the majority of the rest of the afternoon walking through the gardens with John, telling him everything since he was the only person in my life who could listen without offering advice or telling anyone. And now, I'm scouring my armoire for something to wear. What do you wear to a dinner to tell your family that you are pregnant at the age of 18?

I'm pulling out the sixteenth dress when my telephone started to hum the familiar tune. I clap my hands with excitement as I search through the piles of tulle skirts, sheer blouses and shimmery tunics. "Hey."

"Hi, I was just calling to tell you that I'm getting ready to leave the mansion now. I should be there within the half-hour."

"Great, I can't wait to see you."

"Me either," he tells me. "I'll see you soon."

I hold the phone to my chest for a few moments after we end the call, smiling to myself in the mirror. Looking back at the mess spread across my bed, I spot something in a rich burgundy shade, and I know that I've found my dress. It's my favorite gown, an old favorite that I go back to again and again. Pulling it from the bottom of the heap, I hold it in front of me in the mirror. _Might as well wear it now, Lu. It's not going to see any action for quite awhile otherwise,_ I tell myself before unhooking it from the padded hanger.

Getting out of my street clothes, I kick them to the side and step into the long strapless gown. Pulling it up, I love how it accentuates my every curve. I know that Dillon will enjoy it as well. Expertly pulling the zipper up over my shoulder, I turn around to make sure that everything is lying where it should. Walking back toward the bathroom, I easily pull my hair into a French twist and pin it back with two crystal bobby pins. Diamond teardrop earrings and a matching necklace are pulled from a velvet pouch and my favorite perfume is spritzed on my wrist. Tall burgundy stilettos complete the ensemble. Giving myself one last look over, I head toward the grand staircase to meet Nikolas and the rest of our guests downstairs.

"Wow, Lulu, you look beautiful," my oldest brother calls as I float down the stairs. He is standing in the foyer, holding baby John in his arms. Dressed impeccably in a classic black suit, he looks quite handsome himself.

"Likewise, my brother. You look quite fetching this fine evening," I say in a false Victorian accent. He throws his head back and laughs for a moment as I peer down at my nephew. "And you, John, look even more dashing than your daddy." Nikolas had dressed him in black trousers and a white button-up shirt with a tiny black sweater vest over it.

"Thank you, Aunt Lulu," Nikolas says in a baby voice before placing a chaste kiss on my cheek.

An ancient melody rings out loudly around us, indicating that someone has arrived at the front door. Alfred, his new butler, starts to come in to open the door, but I quickly dismiss him and start for the door myself. Opening both doors at once, I am quite please to see my other brother and his family standing there. Elizabeth looks beautiful as always in her long black evening gown. Lucky matches her perfectly with a suit very similar to Nikolas', only with a silver tie. Cameron toddles between them, his black sweater and grey pants only slightly rumpled.

"Hi, guys!" I exclaim, ushering them in. Lucky wraps me in a hug while Nikolas makes his way over to kiss Elizabeth hello. We exchange partners, Elizabeth hugging me while Nikolas shakes hands with Lucky. Nikolas and I both stoop to hug Cam while Liz and Lucky take turns holding John. We're fawning over how cute the boys both look when the doorbell signals the appearance of our next guest.

"I'll get it," Nikolas says as he jogs toward the door. It's our grandmother, looking absolutely stunning. She is dressed in a fashionable silver dress and jacket ensemble. "You look absolutely beautiful," Nikolas tells her as he kisses her cheek.

"Yes, you do," Lucky replies as he rushes over to hug her. Elizabeth takes her turn, offering John to her when she is done. I watch my grandmother coo adoringly at her great-grandson. Cameron runs over and wraps his arm around her leg.

"Well, hello there Cam!" Grandma Lesley says, kneeling down to show him the baby. "Look here, I'm with all my favorite men tonight." As I watch her, I can only hope that she will be as happy when she hears my news.

"I think everyone is here now. Shall we eat?" Nikolas asks.

"Actually, we're still waiting on one more," I tell him.

Elizabeth smiles knowingly while my brothers look at me, clearly confused. I start to explain but am promptly interrupted by the doorbell. Nikolas starts to return to the door but I step between him. "Let me," I insist before sweeping the door open. Dillon is standing on the doorstep outside, clutching a small bouquet of lavender hyacinth (my favorite) in his hands. I can tell he is nervous, his shoulders are visibly shaking as his eyes meet mine. "Hi."

"Hi," he whispers, holding out his hand.

I take the bouquet and put it up to my nose, inhaling the sweet aroma deeply. "Thank you. Please, come in."

He steps into the foyer without breaking eye contact. "You look dazzling," he tells me. He leans down to kiss me but places a small peck on my cheek at the last minute. My brothers clearly have him afraid. Stepping away, he looks around the room. "Hello, Nikolas, everyone. I appreciate you including me into tonight's dinner."

"Of course, any friend of Lulu's is always welcome," Nikolas replies. "Shall we sit down now?"

I nod my permission toward my brother as he leads the crowd into the dining room. Grabbing Dillon's hand, we hang back for a moment. "Are you ready to do this?"

"Ready? No. I don't think I will ever be. But willing? Well, there is no time like the presence."

"Thank you for doing this with me."

"Of course," he says. Our lips connect this time. I feel him smile against my lips. "Okay, come on, we better get in there."

In the dining room, Nikolas is seated at one end with my grandmother at the other end. Lucky and Elizabeth are seated on one side, Cameron in his booster seat between them. John's high chair has been scooted up to Nikolas' immediate left. Dillon pulls the chair next to my nephew out for me before sitting in the only empty chair left.

"Well, I thought we might start with some wine. I know that Lulu and Dillon are minors, but since neither of them is driving, I suppose one glass wouldn't hurt," Nikolas says.

I give Dillon a look. "I don't think I'll have any. I haven't been feeling too well today."

"What's wrong, dear?" my grandmother asks.

"Oh, nothing, really. It's probably just a stomach virus," I tell her with a smile. I hate lying to her but all will be revealed in due time.

"Well, Dillon, how about you?"

He looks at me for permission. I shrug slightly and nod, I figure a glass will probably calm him down. "Sure, that'd be great," he tells my brother. Underneath the table, I reach for his hand as Mrs. Landsbury and Alfred set glasses and salads in front of each of us. I squeeze his hand for support and he squeezes mine back.

"My brothers start to talk about Lucky's latest case while Elizabeth falls into a conversation about Cameron's new teacher at school. Dillon and I silently eat our salads. From time to time, I notice him glancing over at me as if to make sure that I am actually eating.

"So, Dillon, what is it exactly that you are studying in school?" Nikolas asks.

"Film," I tell him. "Dillon is going to be a director."

"Actually, I've been thinking about switching to business."

"Since when?" I cry, turning to him.

"I just think it might be the responsible thing to do," he tells the table. "It's more versatile. I can do so much more with a business degree. I'm sure that my family would love it if I became involved with ELQ."

"But movies are your life."

"They were."

I instantly feel guilty when he says this. I know that it's my fault that he is giving up on his dream. Reminding myself to discuss it with him later, I hope that someone will change the conversation. Luckily, Elizabeth, ever our guardian angel, starts to tell a story about something that happened that morning in the hospital.

Soon, Nikolas' wait staff returns, carrying domed trays. Plate after plate, they place them before us before returning to the kitchen. We all wait for my brother to remove us before lifting ours off. As the silver lid disappears, the overwhelming aroma of filet mignon fills my nostrils. A wild rice pilaf and fresh green beans accompany the main dish, creating an unpleasant odor to my sense. Instantly, my stomach starts to churn. I can fill something rising up my throat. "Excuse me!" I nearly yell, pushing my chair back and rushing out of the room.

"What's wrong with her?" I hear Lucky ask.

"I hope she is okay," my grandmother asks worriedly.

"I'll go check on her," Elizabeth adds.

"Please, let me," Dillon insists.

"What's going on with them?" Lucky asks as Dillon's footsteps draw near.

"I'll tell you later, honey," Liz replies.

I'm bent over the toilet when Dillon knocks on the door. The rapping sound sets something off in my stomach as the bile comes to the surface. I'm too busy throwing up to feel embarrassed when Dillon barges in. Falling to his knees beside me, he lifts my hair from my neck and gently rubs my back while I empty my stomach of its contents. When I am finally done, I sit back on my heels and grimace at him. "Sexy, huh?"

"Not so much," he says with a soft smile. He stands up and wets a towel, bringing it to my lips to wipe away any traces of what just happened.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," I tell him as I reach beneath the sink and swirl mouthwash down my throat.

"I might as well get used to it. I'm just sorry that you had to go through it."

"Well, it was the first time I actually threw up, so I guess it's kind of a landmark in this baby journey."

"So glad that I could share it with you," he laughs. "Ready to head back out there?"

I nod as he puts his hand on the small of my back and leads me back to the table. "Are you okay?" Liz asks.

I smile at my family. "All better now. I'm starved, let's eat." In reality, I can barely stomach the smell of the food, let alone the taste. Cutting away at the meat, I spend the rest of dinner rearranging the items on my plate so that it appears I've at least eaten some.

As the dinner plates are cleared away and we wait for dinner, Nikolas proposes a toast. "To the Spencer-Webber-Cassadine family…let it not be such a long time before we are together again. And to Dillon, our guest, thank you for sharing this evening with us."

"Cheers," Elizabeth says brightly, clinking her glass against Lucky's.

"Chin chin," Lucky replies before tapping his glass against Nikolas' and then my grandmother's.

"Salud," Dillon adds as he toasts me.

As plates of rich chocolate mousse are passed around the table, I look at Dillon and nod. Rising to my feet, I look at each person sitting at the table. "Can I have everyone's attention? I have so very exciting news."


	19. Chapter 19

"What's going on, Lesley Lu?" my grandmother asks, rising to her feet. Concern shines in her eyes as she stands at the head of the table. I can see Nikolas exchange a look with Liz out of the corner of my eye.

"Well, I hope that you will all take this as good news," I say with my best smile. "I found out that I was pregnant yesterday. I'm four weeks along."

"You-you're pregnant?" Nikolas stammers. The room becomes suddenly tense. I look down at Dillon and give him a pleading look. He stands up and puts his arm across my shoulder in a sign of support.

"How did this happen?" Elizabeth asks.

"You have a child, I'm pretty sure you know how it happened," Lucky spat.

For the first time, I look up at my brother. The person who grew up with me and knew me best at one point my life is looking back at me with utter disappointment. The uncharacteristic dark gaze he is sending my way sends shivers down my spine.

"Well, congratulations, I guess," Elizabeth says, managing to at least fake a smile. She makes her way around the table and hugs us both.

"Yes, Lulu and Dillon, on behalf of John and myself, congratulations," Nikolas announce politely. He reaches out to shake Dillon's hand and then hugs me warmly.

My grandmother is still staring at us, shock and disbelief painted across her face. "Although unexpected, a child is always a blessing. I'm not sure that you know what you're getting yourself into, but I'll be here to help you every step of the way."

"Thank you," I whisper as I pass Dillon and find myself in my grandmother's familiar embrace. Tears are in her eyes and she hugs me tightly.

"And you better take care of her or I will send Luke after her," she tells Dillon. He nods knowingly as she forces him into a hug.

"I can't believe this! What the hell is the matter with you all?" Lucky yells.

"Lucky!" Elizabeth snaps.

"I can't do this. I gotta get some air."

We watch him storm out of the room and out to the terrace. Elizabeth looks at me apologetically. "I'll go after him."

"No, I will," I tell her.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Dillon asks, grabbing my hand as I pass.

"Thank you, but no. This is probably something I should do on my own."

Lucky is pacing along the balcony when I meet him outside. He won't look at me as I stand there waiting for him to acknowledge my presence. Step after step, I can feel the tension building. "Lucky, talk to me."

Whirling around, I realize that he didn't even know that I was there. "How could you do this? How could you be so careless?"

"Accidents happen, Lucky. People make mistakes. Even though we didn't exactly plan this, our child is neither an accident nor a mistake. I know I let you down, but I'm scared. I need to know that I have my big brother to help me through this."

"You don't need me, you have everyone else in there."

"Of course I need you. You have to know that's not true. Nikolas is a great brother, and Liz is like a sister. And Grandma Lesley is the best, but they're not you. They didn't grow up with us, they're not Spencers. You're the only one who gets why my mind works the way it does or what makes me who I am. And when the chips are down and I'm at my worse, I know that I can count on you to keep me sane. I'm really going to need that."

"I just wanted more for you, Lu."

"More than what?"

"More than what our parents had, more than what I have."

"Are you kidding me? Look at our parents, the great Luke and Laura Spencer. They had that kind of fairytale that lasts a life time. It's been nearly 25 years and people are still talking about their damn wedding." Lucky laughs and nods, knowing exactly what I mean. "And you and Liz? If Dillon and I have an ounce of what you share, we would have everything. You have an amazing son and a strong marriage. Don't you want that for me?"

"I want everything for you, sis. I wanted you to go to college, find someone to settle down with and start a family."

"I'm still going to do all that, Lucky. It just may be in the reverse order. You know us Spencers, we've never done anything the conventional way."

"Do you think the world is ready for another Spencer?"

"I guess we're going to find out. Are you gonna be by my side?"

"You're my little sister, of course I am."

"Thank you, Lucky. Thank you," I tell him softly. He hugs me briefly and then starts to shake with laughter. "What?"

"You have to tell the Quartermaines."

"God, I know."

"Not only that, but you have to tell Dad."

"Wanna help me with that?"

"Not on your life," he says before we return to the dining room. Lucky looks at everyone and apologizes for his previous behavior. "Congratulations, man," he tells Dillon, pumping his hand. As Dillon pulls his hand back, I can tell that my brother's grip must have been strong. I smile privately, glad that I will always have someone to protect me. "You hurt her, we kill you."

"Yes, between the Spencers and the Cassadines, we've become very adept at making people disappear," Nikolas states evenly.

Two hours later, dinner is over and most of the guests are fading fast. Nikolas had already disappeared upstairs to put John to bed, and Lucky is heading toward the door with a sleeping Cameron in his arms. Elizabeth is trailing not far behind with my grandmother waiting for someone on the staff outside to bring the cars around.

After hugs and farewells are completed, Dillon and I are alone outside beneath the moon. Standing on the stone path, the night is indescribably beautiful. Dillon's arm is draped across my waist, my head resting on his shoulder. "Well, that wasn't so bad. We got through one round of this," he tells me.

"Who do you want to tell next?"

"I need to tell Georgie."

"That's not going to be pretty."

"No, but I don't want her to hear it from anyone else."

"Fair enough. You're a good man, Dillon Quartermaine."

"I'm not going to volunteer to sit in on that one. I will if you want me to, but I somehow doubt that I would be of any assistance there."

"I love you, Lu, but I so don't think that's a good idea."

"Uh, yeah, ya think?"

"Not often," I joke.

"I should get going."

"You don't want to stay?"

"What I want and what is going to happen are two entirely different things."

"Yeah, we probably shouldn't press our luck tonight," I concede.

"I can't believe your family was so cool about this."

"I told you they would, but remember, we haven't dealt with my dad yet."

"You just had to remind me of that. Come on, I'll tuck you in."

"You're at my house, shouldn't I walk you to your car or something?"

"The mother of my child out here alone when there are Cassadines lurking nearby? Me thinks not," he replies, grasping my hand and pulling back to the house.

In my bedroom, I yawn and stretch, flopping on my bed. My skirt flounces up around my head as I sink into the mattress.

"Where are your pajamas?"

"Hmm?" I mumble.

"Nevermind, I found them," he remarks, holding up a white cotton nightgown. "Get up."

"No," I whine.

"Stand up," he implores. Slowly, he draws my zipper downward and helps me step out of my dress. My slip clings to my body as I feel the breath go out of the man next to me.

"Like what you see, sailor?"

"That's an understatement," he barely manages.

"We-ell, if you like that, you should see what I got under here."

"I've seen it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's what got us into this situation in the first place."

"But wasn't it worth it?"

"Mmhmm," he nods as he watches me undress.

"Dillon, I'm so tired," I moan. "I need help."

He is still gripping the nightgown. I'm hoping that he'll give into my seduction and spend the night. Even if we don't do anything, I'd relish another night in his arms. My hopes are soon dashed, however, as he yanks the gown over my head. "There, all done!"

"Well, damn."

"I know all your ploys, Lu. You can't play your Spencer games on me."

"You don't like my games," I whisper, stepping into his personal space and running my fingers through his hair. "What about this game?" I inquire, laying a small kiss on his neck. He shakes his head. "What about this one?" I ask, running my tongue across his bottom lip. More apprehensively this time, he shakes his head again. "This one?" I question, kissing him softly while pressing my entire body against his. This time he nods.

"Where did you come from, Lesley Lu Spencer?"

"Your dreams." He smirks and kisses me again. "Stay."

"I can't."

"Please," I beg.

"But you want to?"

"Abso-frickin-lutely. Now get in bed so I can kiss you goodnight. The sooner you fall asleep, the sooner we'll be together again."

"Your daddy's such a charmer," I say to my stomach, rubbing my hands across my tummy.

"And your mommy's beautiful."


	20. Chapter 20

It's early when I wake up the next morning, the sun hasn't even peaked over the horizon. Trampling around the dark room, I search for my other tennis shoe, preparing to go out for a long run. I figure I'll run to catch the launch and then jog through the park. By then, hopefully it will late enough that Dillon will be up and we can meet for breakfast at Kelly's. We still need to come up with a game plan for breaking the news to his family. With my father still out of town, I figure that the Quartermaines should be our next big reveal. That is, unless he wants to address the Georgie issue first. Either way, I'm leaving it up to him.

Nikolas is sitting at the table in the sun room when I come down the back staircase to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. A cup of coffee in hand, I watch him for a moment as he scans the headlines "Hey, Nik."

"Hey, sis. I was hoping to catch you."

"I'm just on my way out to run, can we catch up later?"

My brother takes a long drink of his savored dark java and grimaces at me over the edge of his mug. "No, it can't."

"Fine," I huff, propping myself against the counter. "What's up?"

"I know that I pretended that I was okay with everything last night, but I think I should talk to you. Do you understand the amount of responsibility you are taking on? This isn't just something you can do for awhile and then forget, it's not a hobby. This child will become your life. And even if Dillon leaves you, you will be stuck with the responsibility of raising this child alone."

"First of all, Dillon isn't going to leave me," I tell him pointedly. "He loves me, and he loves our child. I've already explained this to Lucky, I won't go through it again with you."

"Fine, you're in love with each other, but love isn't going to be enough this time."

"I know that. I know that we're both going to have to make sacrifices, and our lives are going to change drastically. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that this child is taken care of. Dillon and I are committed to giving our baby a good life, one full of love."

"I know that is your intention, but you're 18. He's 19. Neither of you have any money or a steady job. You live here, and he lives with the Quartermaines. How exactly do you plan on doing this?"

Finally, I am starting to feel frustrated with my brother. Somewhere in my mind, I know that he is right, but for now, I just want to get the hell away from him. "I don't know, Nikolas. I don't know how I am going to do this, but I will. I found out that I was pregnant just a few days ago, no one knows what they're going to do this fast – regardless of age or income. But whatever I do, Dillon will be there to help me. So will Lucky and Liz, I hope that I can say the same for you."

"You know that you can count on me, Lu. I'm not going anywhere. I just want you to think about this. You're my little sister, and I'm scared for you. I love you."

"I love you, too, Big Brother," I gush, hugging him tightly for a moment. "I'm going to go for a long run and then meet Dillon to strategize how we're going to tell the Quartermaines. I'll be back for dinner."

"Sounds good, maybe we can have a nice quiet supper with just John and us."

"Perfect," I call over my shoulder as I head outside.

Fifteen minutes later, I can hear the hard sound of my tennis shoes hitting the pavement as I head past the docks. The moon is starting to set over the water and the air is still cool and crisp. Sloshing water in my mouth, I head up the main street of town and let the morning dew wrap around me. The breeze sends a chill through me as I zip up Dillon's hoodie. Though slightly discolored and three sizes too big, it has quickly become my favorite.

"Lulu, why are you out so early?"

Looking over my shoulder, I recognize the redhead and smile brightly. "Hi, Skye, just out for a run. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"The baby's internal alarm clock isn't set with the rest of the world," she tells me with her signature warm smile. "Baby wants a walk, baby gets a walk."

"I guess I have that to look forward to," I mumble.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," I lie. "How is everything?"

"Pretty good, the doctor says the baby is healthy."

"That's so good to hear."

"Yes, thank you. So, how are you and Dillon? Alice tells me that the two of you have been spending quite a bit of time together."

I smile and nod. "We have. We're good; he makes me happier than I have ever been."

"That's great," she replies kindly.

"Skye, can I tell you something?"

"Sure," she answers. "Can we sit down, though? My back is killing me."

We find our way to a park bench and sit down. I wait for a moment as she gets situated. "I don't really think there is any good way to say this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm pregnant. Dillon's the father."

"Oh, Lulu," she gasps. Instantly, I know that Skye is going to make an amazing mother. Since my mom got sick, she is the only person who has even come close to making me feel like I had a maternal figure in my life. "Does Dillon know?"

"Of course, he went with me when I took the test. He's been so supportive."

"Who else knows?"

"My grandmother, my brothers and Liz. We still have to tell the Quartermaines, and Dillon has to break the news to Georgie."

"And your father?"

"Off on one of his adventures. I will tell him when he gets back."

"Well, I guess I should say congratulations, sweetie," she says tenderly, grabbing me in a hug. "If this is what you want, then I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

"And if you need my support when you tell the Qs, then I'm there for that, too. I know they seem crazy, but they love each other fiercely. They would do anything for each other. I know that once they get used to this, they will do the same for your child."

"I hope that's true."

We talk for a few more minutes before I decide to take off. I still want to get around the rest of the park, and it's getting later in the morning than I realized. With a quick wave, I'm off again and headed down the shaded path.

As I come around the final bend, with the exit gate looming in front of me, I see a blonde haired boy resting against the stone monument post. My steady gait quickly turns into an all out run. "Dillon!" I call.

He breaks out into a grin as I draw near him. "Hey, you."

"Hi," I murmur as I fall into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wish I could say that I was here to meet you because I know that it would be far more enjoyable than what I'm really here for."

"Which is?"

"I'm going to tell Georgie."

"Oh, joy."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy in that sexy voice of yours?"

"Do you blame me?"

"You have nothing to worry about. You're my life now."

"Words like those will get you everywhere," I purr, reaching on my tip toes to kiss him. "So I have something to tell you."

"We're having twins?"

"Funny."

"Thanks, I thought so."

"No, actually, I told someone else this morning. A Quartermaine, no less."

"Oh, God, and you're still walking? Which one?"

"Skye."

"And?"

"And she was cool. We have her blessing, and she promised to show her support when we tell the rest of your family."

"Very cool."

"But, both she and Nikolas did have a conversation with me about responsibility. I think that maybe we need to figure some things out before we tell your family. They're going to have a lot of questions, and I just think they might take everything a little bit better if we have answers."

"You're probably right. It'd make me feel a lot better if we had a plan, anyhow."

"Me too," I admit.

"I missed you last night," he whispers, drawing me into his arms again.

"Oh, really? I tried to get you to stay…"

"I should have. My arms just don't feel the same without you in them."

"You are on a roll this morning."

"I can't help it," he whispers as he dips down, his lips meeting mine in a sensual caress. "You're wearing my hoodie."

"It's my favorite, you can't have it back."

"I don't want it back unless I get to take it off you."

"Dillon!" I exclaim, blushing feverishly.

"Sorry, you're just so damn gorgeous."

"And you're just so damn sexy," I counter.

"Then this baby is going to be the beautiful child the world has ever seen."

"You're what?!" a voice behinds us cries out. As we break apart and whirl around, Georgie stands before us.


	21. Chapter 21

"You're what?!"

The words resound between the three of us, hanging in the air. Dillon's arm is still looped around my waist, our bodies still pressed together. He looks down at me in panic. I know that I should try to reassure him with a look, but my ability to comfort him won't come. Clearly, neither of them is going to speak, so I step away from Dillon and face her head on.

"I'm pregnant."

"You brought me here to tell me this? With her here?"

"She didn't know that I was going to be here."

"Sure," Georgie scoffs. "She knew, she just wanted to throw it back in my face."

"Actually, _Georgie_, I didn't want to be here when Dillon told you. I knew how painful this would be for you, and I didn't want to make it any worse. I was just out running and I happened to see Dillon. That's it."

I can see the hatred and hurt in her eyes as she looks between us. He turns down and whispers into my ear. "Maybe you should go." I nod and squeeze his hand. I'm dying to tell him that I love him but think better of it. He brushes a quick kiss on my cheek and tells me to meet him at the diner.

"I truly am sorry you found on this way," I tell Georgie before walking away. As the distance continues to grow between us, I can hear her yelling at Dillon. I wince as I hear her call him a few choice names. Across the street from the park, I stop and look back at where they are still standing. Her arms flailing, Georgie is still shouting. Dillon is looking down at his feet, shaking his head every once in awhile.

I want to stand there and watch him, but I know that's not what he wants. He wants me to meet him at the diner, and that's what I'll do.

"Hello, darlin," Mike greets me brightly as I slip into the diner.

"Hey, Mike," I tell him with my best smile. "Can I get my usual?"

"Toast and tea, coming right up."

Pulling a quarter out of my pocket, I pop it into the jukebox and hit the button for an old country song my dad used to sing to me when I was younger. Bobbie had talked about pulling the song out last year, but I had managed to convince her to keep it in. When he left town, this was the one place I could come when I missed him. I'd play that song for hours, putting quarter after quarter into that old box.

"Here you go, Lulu," Mike says, setting the small plate and teacup in front of me. "You look radiant this morning. There's just this glow about you."

"I'll say," Dillon says as he slips into the seat across from me.

"Well, hello, Dillon."

"Hi, Mike. Can I get a cup of coffee with the special?"

"Sure, I'll be back with it in just a few minutes. Is there anything else I can get you two?"

"An apple," I tell him before Dillon can answer. He looks up and smiles at me as Mike goes to put the order in.

"Well, how'd it go?" I ask once we are alone again.

Dillon shakes his head. "Not well. She yelled a lot, and I mostly just listened. She's pretty hurt."

"Understandingly. I'm sorry, I know that it was horrible. I wish she hadn't walked up on us like that."

"It's my fault, I should have been more careful. I was just wrapped up in you, so happy to see you after being apart from you all night. I pretty much forgot about everything else, including Georgie."

"What can I do?"

"There's nothing you need to do. I've told her everything that she needs to know. She heard it from us, granted in not the best way possible, but from me none the less. It was really hard to see her fall apart like that, but it had to be done."

"So, all that's left is to tell your family and my dad."

"We can do this."

"We will do this," I reassure him. "I have an idea."

"What?"

"Let's go back to the mansion, lock ourselves in your room all afternoon and just watch movies. Your choice, I'll watch anything. We can just escape from reality."

"Actually, as great as that sounds, I can't."

"Why not?"

"I have a job interview at ELQ."

"ELQ? I wanted to talk to you about that, but I was waiting until we were alone. Dillon, you can't give up on your dream. I know it may not seem practical, but you are talented. I don't want you to give up on the one thing that you love."

"It's not the only thing that I love anymore, Lu," he says softly. "You were talking about making a plan earlier, this is part of my plan for us. We need to have money. I need to be responsible and take care of my family."

"I just don't want you to give up on making movies."

"I'm not. I'm just doing what I have to do to make sure that both our dreams can come true. We're both going to be able to go to college thanks to family money, but what are we going to live on? I have to work."

"But for your family? Isn't there any other way?"

"I'm not going to make enough money here, Lu. At least with ELQ, I'll get to pick my hours and make decent dinero."

"Fine," I relent, "but you have to promise that you won't give up on your dream."

"I won't, I promise," he tells me.

"So, you have a job. I will stay working here for the time being, at least until I can't stand to be on my feet anymore. We're both going to stay at PCU, but where are we going to live? Are we going to live together or apart?"

"I don't want my child to grow up in a different house than me."

"I don't want that either."

"Then, we won't. We'll find somewhere for us to live together."

"You know they are going to ask about marriage."

"We hadn't talked about that yet."

"I didn't want to bring it up."

"Why not?"

"You're still married, for one thing."

"On paper only."

"Still, and second, we've been together for like, a week. Just because I'm going to have your child does not mean that we have to get married. We have eight months to figure this out and then all the time in the world after."

"You're so cool, you know that. Most girls would be so freaked out by all of this, but you're taking it all in stride."

"It's all a visage."

"Big word for a Spencer," he teases. I stick out my tongue. He pushes my face away, so I lick his hand. "Ew."

"Shut up, you know you like it, baby."

"Mmhmm."

"Skip your interview. It's your family, it's not like they aren't going to hire you. Wouldn't you rather to spend the entire afternoon in bed wrapped up in me?"

"Fine, you talked me into it."

"You're so easy."

"Um, yeah, I think that's pretty apparent," he says, pointing at my stomach. "So, if I have you for the afternoon, does that I mean I get you for the night?"

"I'm going to spend the evening with my two of my other favorite males, Nik and John. You can have me tomorrow night."

"And what about the night after that?"

"You can have me every night for the rest of my life after that."

"Good."

"And what do I get out of it?"

"A best friend, a soul mate, a love of a lifetime…"

"That gives me everything."


	22. Chapter 22

It's late in the afternoon by the time I climb out of bed the next day. After spending most of the day yesterday with Dillon, I finally made it home around dusk for a long dinner with my brother and nephew. Soon after, I fell into bed and slept. Then, somewhere around 3 a.m., I paid homage to the porcelain throne and managed to empty my stomach of its contents. Morning sickness, my foot, it lasts all day and all night.

Stretching lazily, I press the intercom button next to my bed and ask a servant to bring my breakfast up. Rarely do I take advantage of the benefits of living at Wyndamere, but feeling like I do right now, I decide to live up the good life – even if it is for just a few hours. Once I am reassured that my juice and fruit are on their way, I fold my hands under my chin and scan through the baby book Dillon picked up at the book store a few days ago.

Looking at the pictures, I try to imagine the transformation my body is going through. Even more abstract, I try to picture the changes going on with our child. What is now a kidney bean inside my womb with eventually be this little tiny person with Dillon's eyes and my hair. I can feel the smile creeping across my lips as I revel in the knowledge that we will have a future together.

"Miss Lulu, your breakfast is here," says a servant.

"Thanks, Al," I tell the butler as he sets the tray on my bed.

I smiled as the older man makes his exit, leaving as formally as he came. When the door is shut again, my cell phone chirps, indicating that Dillon is calling. Pulling the drawer to my nightstand open, I find my phone buried underneath a pile of magazines. "Hi."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Other than throwing up in the middle of the night, it was okay. I just got up. I'm literally eating breakfast in bed right now."

"What are you having?"

"Juice and fruit, don't worry."

"That's my girl. So, what are you doing today?"

"I don't know, what am I doing?"

"Well, I have something I'd like to show you."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"It's a surprise. Do you think you could take the launch over and meet me at the docks in two hours? I'll have a car so we can drive over to see it."

"Sure, I just need to jump in the shower after I finish my breakfast and then I can be ready."

"Great, I can't wait to show you it. I've been working on it all night."

"What is it?" I implore.

"I'm not telling you, so you'll just have to wait and see. I promise you that it will be so worth it," he taunts over the phone line. "I have to go, but I'll see you soon. I love you."

He doesn't even wait a response before ending the call. I grimace, half disappointed that he didn't give me a chance to say it back and half frustrated that he wouldn't tell me what he had in store. Either way, I knew that it must be something good because the excitement was so evident in his voice. Besides, he told me he loved me, and somehow with those words, I would never be able to stay angry at him for long.

A quick breakfast and hot shower later, I'm waiting for Dillon on the docks when Diego comes sauntering down the stairs. It'd been awhile since I saw my partner in crime, at least since the night that Dillon and I slept together for the first time. Part of me remembers the guilt all over again as he pauses on the landing, silently deliberating whether he should approach me or not.

"Hey," he says finally, kicking the wood plans with the toe of his boot.

I give him a half smile. "Hey, how are you? How are things with Georgie?"

"I'm good, we're good. She has really been leaning on me since this whole thing went down. She told me about the baby last night."

"Yeah," I reply, protectively laying my hands on my stomach as he eyes me. Although I know that he is supposedly rehabilitated, I have to admit that I still remember what he did. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I look around, praying that Dillon will come to my rescue.

"Well, congratulations, it looks like we both have what we wanted."

"Maybe, but we went about it the wrong way," I tell him. "The thing is, I actually love Dillon. I don't know how you feel about Georgie, but I regret that I lied to him. I hate that I caused him a single ounce of pain. I even regret that I caused Georgie any pain."

"I didn't want to hurt her either. I just wanted to be with her."

"Well, you are now," Dillon roars as he comes upon us. "You have Georgie now, so go be with her. You need to leave."

"Fine," he mutters.

"And stay away from Lulu and my child," Dillon calls after him before approaching me. He puts his arms around me protectively. "I really hate that guy. Please promise me that you will stay away from him."

I nod. "I'll stay away from him."

"Thank you," he whispers softly as he finally kisses me hello. Lacing his fingers through mine, he pulls me toward the car. "Come on, we have somewhere to be."

Walking around to the passenger side, Dillon opens the door and helps me into the soft leather bucket seat of the rich cranberry sports car. Through the dark windshield, I watch as he jogs around to the driver's side. Pushing my sunglasses down over my eyes, we're soon on our way across town. Crossing through neighborhood after neighborhood, I try to figure out where we are going. The rows of houses pass by in a blur until we are in a quaint little neighborhood. Villas line both sides of the narrow street, manicured lawns framing the homey little bungalows. Finally, the car slows in front of one particular home and pulls into the circular driveway.

"What is this?" I ask.

"Well, if you like it, this is our home," he grins. "I put an offer on it this morning."

"Our home? Dillon, we can't afford this."

"No, we can't, but my family can. And after a long talk with Ned, who now knows that he is going to be an uncle, he's agreed to give it to me as a gift."

"I can't accept this."

"It's not just up to you, Lu. We need somewhere to live, and I am not going to let you live in a tiny little room above Kelly's."

"We could stay at Wyndamere or the Quartermaines until we save enough money. There has to be another way," I insist.

"We need this, let my brother do this."

"How'd he take it?"

"Well, given his situation with Brook Lynn, he told me that he didn't have the right to judge me. He gave me his blessing and promised that he would help us with the family."

"Two down…speaking of which, we need to tell the rest of them."

"Yes, we do, and we will," he promises. "But first, do you want to see our new home?"

My face lights up as I nod frantically. Grabbing my hand, we jaunt across the yard. His hands are shaking nervously as he pulls out the key and unlocks the front door. As soon as we step inside, I know that this is our home. The living room is cozy with terra cotta walls and a majestic stone fireplace. A sunny kitchen is just off to the side with an attached dining room. I can picture our child crawling on the wooden floors, pulling herself up on the stools tucked beneath the counter. He leads me to the back porch, which overlooks a beautiful lawn and small creek.

"What do you think?"

"It's beautiful," I gasp, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him all over his face. "I love it, I love you."

"You haven't even seen upstairs."

He leads me back inside and up the stairs. A small bedroom is to the immediate left, the perfect space for a nursery. With lots of sunlight and plush carpet, I know that our child is going to love this room. I don't even need to see our bedroom, I'm already sold, but if I wasn't, the master suite would have done me in. When he leads me into the room, there is already furniture on display. A beautiful sleigh bed sets in the middle of the room with a small bureau beside it. On top, a framed photograph of Dillon and me makes me realize that this is it. Between the massive walk-in closet and modern fireplace to the most amazing bathroom and gorgeous balcony, another part of my dream has come true.

"Wow."

"I know. So, what do you say?"

"This is it. This is our home."

"Good because I didn't just put an offer down on it, I bought it."

I cover my mouth and laugh. "What if I would have hated it?"

"I knew you wouldn't. I knew that this was going to be our house the moment I saw it. I couldn't let it pass us by, so I bought it then. And now, here we are, in our home."

"Well, it's not really our home yet. We haven't christened it yet."

"Why do you think I had this furniture delivered? I have plans for you and me and that bed, and I intend to see them through, starting right now," he declares before scooping me into his arms and carrying me to the bed. Laying me gently against the velvet duvet, our home is christened an hour later.


	23. Chapter 23

Later that evening, we're standing on the terrace at the Quartermaine mansion. Above us, the stars twinkle like a million diamonds placed in the velvet sky just for us. Inside, I can hear Alan and Monica bickering about dinner as Edward contemplates the merits of ELQ's latest big venture with Tracey.

"Are you sure we have to tell them tonight?" Dillon asks as Edward starts to berate Tracey. He's muttering something about how she has wasted his money and his time, but I don't know the specific details.

"They're never in a better mood than they are tonight, so we might as well get this over with," I reply. Honestly, I don't feel well and just want to get the words out so that they can yell at me and I can go back to Wyndamere and fall asleep.

"Well, it's now or never," he mutters, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the living room. All eyes turn to us as Dillon clutches my hand.

"What are you doing here?" Tracey asks. "I thought you moved into that mausoleum your brother refers to as home weeks ago."

"I did, but I'll be moving soon."

"Oh?" Monica asks. "Back into my house?"

I shake my head. "A little bungalow across town."

"With whose money? Do I need to check the records again, young lady?" Edward inquires.

Dillon shoots his grandfather a look. "Lulu didn't steal any of your precious money, Grandfather. We actually have some news."

"We? As in you and Lulu?" Tracey scoffs as Ned and Skye enter.

"Let him speak, Mother," Ned demands.

"Well, as you all know, Georgie and I have decided to get a divorce."

"Thank God! You're both too young to be married," Alan says.

"Well, if you think that, then you're really not going to like my news."

"I'm pregnant!" I blurt out.

"You're what? By who? I'm not raising any illegitimate step grandchildren in this house. Your father is just going to live with that, not that he cares," Tracey remarks.

"Enough, Mother," Dillon states bluntly. "That so-called illegitimate child is actually your grandchild. I'm the father."

"You slept with your sister?!" Tracey cries out as Edward clutches his chest in mock pain.

"She's not my sister. We didn't grow up together, and your marriage to Luke is a sham."

"Son, do you know what you've gotten yourself into? This family is already tied to one Spencer, and now look what you've done. More of my money down the drain."

"I don't want any of your money. My brother is a Cassadine. If it was money that I was after, all I would have to do is ask him," I remind them. "Look, I was hoping for once that this family would show some semblance of sanity and actually support Dillon. Since that clearly is not going to happen, why don't you all just keep your damn mouths shut!"

Edward looks at me in shock. "This one's a spitfire, too much like her dreadful cousin, Carly." Alan and Monica nod knowingly, having seen my cousin to her magic on both their sons.

"Grandmother always liked Carly," Ned comments off-handedly. "I think she would like Lulu, too. And I know that she would demand that you all show some love and support for my brother."

"My Lila," Edward says softly. "She was soft-hearted, the perfect counterpart to my hardened one. If you want sensitivity, find Emily."

"Listen here," Skye interrupts. "You have supported me through my pregnancy, and my child's father is a gangster. Lulu is a perfectly lovely girl, and if you all could get past her last name, you would see that."

"Thank you, Skye," Dillon says.

"You're not raising a Spencer spawn under my roof," Tracey says.

"It's my roof," Monica reminds her. "And no matter what has happened, Dillon is always welcome at this house. So is his family, and if you don't like it, you can be the one to leave."

"Don't worry, either of you. We're moving into the house together."

"Are you getting married?" Alan asks, finally voicing the question we'd both been dreading.

"Not for now," I answer simply. "As unexpected as this child is, our relationship is far too new for us to have that kind of commitment."

"And what do you call this baby?" Edward asks.

"I call this child a blessing," Dillon asserts. "We have several months before this child is born to figure out where this relationship is going. Yes, I realize that we should have done this before she got pregnant, but it's too late for that sort of logic. All we have is what is."

"And what about work?" Tracey questions. "You aren't independently wealthy."

"Well, Grandfather took care of part of that when he hired me to work at ELQ yesterday. Lulu is going to stay on at Kelly's for the time being. Ned gave me the house as a gift. "

"You knew about this?" his mother cries.

"We both did," Skye speaks up.

"What about school? You both need an education if you are going to want to give this child any sort of life," Monica inquires.

"My trust fund will pay for me to go to college, and Nikolas has agreed to fund Lulu's education. We will both be able to work around our classes."

"And I assume your family knows about this?" Alan asks me.

I nod. "We told Lucky, Elizabeth, Nikolas and my grandmother a few nights ago. I've also told that horrid cousin you were referring to earlier. My father hasn't been in touch, but I plan on telling him when he returns. I haven't told Lucas or Aunt Bobbie yet, but I know that I will have their support."

"Does your wife know?" Tracey asks snidely.

Dillon glares at her in defiance. "I've already told Georgie. The paperwork for our divorce has been started, and her father is going to use a contact he has to get it rushed through." I look at him, clearly surprised as he had not revealed this information to me yet.

"Well, it sounds like you have somewhat of an idea as to what you're doing. I can't wait until your father hears that you're going to have a baby," Alan states.

Monica walks past the rest of the family and smiles at me warmly. Squeezing my hands in hers, she offers her congratulations. "For what it's worth, you have our support. Right, Alan?"

"Sure."

"Thank you, Monica, I appreciate that."

"Yes, thank you to you both," Dillon says to his aunt and uncle.

"I can't believe you kept this a secret," Tracey growls at Ned.

"You either," Edward mutters, pointing at Skye.

Skye holds her hands up in front of her chest defensively. "It wasn't my secret to tell, and I think that they revealed it in a proper amount of time."

"Oh, what do you know!" Tracey shouts.

"Don't speak to my daughter that way," Alan demands.

"Shut up, Alan," Tracey counters.

I tune out as their conversation turns into one of the Quartermaines' infamous battles. Tracey is in Alan's face, who is laughing at her insipid insults. Edward is berating Ned, who is exchanging bored looks with Skye. Monica is inspecting her nails, tossing the occasion eye roll toward her sister-in-law. "My loving family," Dillon whispers in my ear.

"Well, as lovely as you all are, I'm terribly bored by this whole scene," I announce. "I am out of here."

"Wait!" Edward calls out. "Listen, I love my grandson just as I love this entire family. This child, my great-grandchild, will be an heir to this family, and I hope that you will allow us to all be a part of his or her life."

"If you can treat his or her mother and father with the respect that we deserve, then I am sure that there is something we can work out," Dillon tells his grandfather. "What about you, Mother? Are you going to be a part of our lives, too?"

"Mother, you've already missed out on so much with Brook Lynn," Ned says. "The same with Dillon and me. Don't make the same mistake again."

Tracey looks down at her hands, and for a minute, I grow worried. I know that Dillon doesn't need his mother and he pretends that her actions to affect him anymore. However, I also know that he'd be a lot happier if she was a more permanent part of his life, at least in a positive way. "Fine."

"Thank you," Dillon says softly as he moves to embrace his mom. It's strange to see the two of them like that as they are usually either distant or bickering. Yet, underneath it all, I've always known that they really love each other. Watching them together, I'm suddenly overcome with sadness as I realize what I'm missing out on.

"Excuse me, I need some air," I tell the crowd as I brush past Alice, who is on her way into the sitting room with Edward's customary evening martini.

"Where is she going?" I hear Alan ask as the heavy door shuts behind me.

The unsettling chill of the night air hits me, causing me to tremble. I wrap my arms around myself and close my eyes, trying to remember the last time I saw her. It's getting more difficult to picture how she used to be, so kind and full of life. I can barely recall the sweet strawberry scent that lingered in her hair or the way her eyelashes would flutter against my forehead when she kissed me goodnight as a child. Her angelic voice, her contagious laughter, her affectionate hugs – they're all starting to fade away.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dillon asks me worriedly, his voice so soft that I can barely hear him.

"I just miss her."

"Miss who?"

"My mother," I whisper, closing my eyes, willing the tears not to come. "I wish you could have known her. She was the most kind, beautiful woman I've ever known."

"If she was anything like you, then I bet she was amazing."

"And she'll never know my child, Dillon. Just like she doesn't know Cam or John."

"I'm so sorry," he murmurs as I collapse in his arms. "I have an idea. Why don't we go visit her tomorrow together? I can meet your mom, and we can tell her about the baby."

"What's the point? She's catatonic, she can't hear me anyway."

"You'll never know until you try."

"It's just so hard to go see her in that state, it never gets an easier. I don't think you understand how that affects me. I'll be a mess. I don't want you to see me like that."

"I've seen you at your best, and I've seen you at your worst. I love all of you, Lulu. Let me there for you through this."

"I've been on my own for so long that sometimes it's hard for me to remember to let other people in, but you make me want to try to remember."


	24. Chapter 24

It's past one before I finally crawl into bed. After Dillon dropped me back at the launch, I went for a long walk through the gardens before making it back to the house. So much had happened so fast that it was the first time I had really given myself the chance to think things through. From finding out that I was pregnant and that Dillon loved me to revealing our secrets to half of Port Charles, I'd barely had any time to process everything that was at work in my life.

I roll over and press the button on my stereo. My favorite late night deejay is taking requests and dedications, playing the sappiest of love songs on the acoustic rock station. The warm opening tones of an opulent love song fill the air as I stare at the ceiling. This will be one of my last nights in Wyndamere, and a strange part of me realizes that I will miss it. This is it, this is the last time I will truly ever be alone again. Even if things don't work out between Dillon and me, my home will always be shared with my child. While comforting to know that my life will be forever filled with my new family, I feel a little mournful for the wild college years I'll never get to have. And then, I hear something that eases every regret or sense of loss.

"Danny here, bringing all your late night love grooves, requests and dedications. I have a caller on the line who'd like to make a request. What's goin' on, my man?"

"Well, I'd like to request a song for a girl who I hope is listening. She was my best friend and then my lover and now, she's my everything," Dillon's bedroom voices purrs from the speakers.

"It sounds like you really have something special going on there."

"We're going to have a baby together. I am so in love with Lulu and I don't think she even realizes how much," he confesses on air. "We're just finding our way together, and I hope that we'll never find our way apart. Can you play the eels' 'P.S. You Rock My World' to just let her know that I'm thinking about her."

"You've got it, what's your name?"

"Dillon."

"Well, Lulu, if you're listening, Dillon wants you to know that you rock his world."

_I__ was at a funeral the day I realized I wanted to spend my life with you. Sitting down on the steps at the old post office, the flag was flying at half mast. And I was thinking 'bout how everyone is dying and maybe it is time to live._

My heart melted as the optimistic acoustic melody instantaneously connected my heart to his. I thought about calling him, but came up with a better idea instead. Calling information, I quickly got the number for the same radio station and dialed into the deejay booth directly.

"This is Danny," the deejay chirps.

"And this is Lulu."

"_The_ Lulu?"

"The one and only," I laugh.

"That was some request, a nice obscure tune as well."

"It's kind of our song."

"Well, what can I do for you?"

"I want to make a request just to let him know that I'm thinking about him."

"Fair enough, will you do it on-air?"

"Sure."

"Okay, hold on, let me get the tape ready," he tells me. I can hear him pressing buttons and tapping away at something before he returns to the line. "It's Danny, back taking your requests and dedications. A few minutes ago, we got a very special dedication from Dillon to Lulu. I have Lulu on the line, what's up?"

"I was laying in bed, thinking about how quickly everything can change, and I hear this incredibly sexy voice coming from my stereo, confessing his love to me through a song that is very personal to us both. I guess I just wanted him to know that I'm right there with him."

"What would you like to hear?"

"There's a song that says something about standing on the edge of something good. That's exactly how Dillon makes me feel. Can you please play 'Please Don't Let it Be' by the Alternate Routes?"

As my voice fades out and the guitar comes in, I know that he'll be calling me. By the time the chorus comes over the airwaves, I'm cradling my cell phone against my cheek…

_Call me when you need me, but please believe me, believe me that your standin' on the edge of somethin' good and its the hardest thing you ever had to do. Truth be told your beggin' on your knees, singin' please don't let it, please don't let it be._

Early the next morning, I am pacing my bedroom nervously. Dressed in a white sundress and matching cardigan, I'm anxious about seeing my mother. I call the only person who will understand how I'm feeling.

"Lulu, honey, why are you calling so early?"

"Can I talk to him?"

"Sure," Elizabeth tells me. I can hear shuffling as she tries to wake my brother.

"Lu, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to see her."

Lucky doesn't need to ask who I am talking about, he already knows. "You're telling her."

"I feel like you should."

"You're right, you should. If Mom knew what was going on, she would be so happy for you, Lu. She'd be supportive of you in all the ways you are needing, in all the ways I'm going to be for you."

"I'm scared…"

"Is he going with you?"

"Yes."

"He needs to see her like this, Lu. He needs to see you with her," he tells me. "I'm the only person who probably knows what you're going through right now, I know how hard this. You need to let him in because you're gonna need his support. It took Elizabeth seeing me there to get all of who I really am."

"And she still loves you."

"I'd like to think that it made her love me even more. He loves you, Lu. You don't need to be scared of today."

"Thanks, Luck," I tell him affectionately.

"Any time, Sis. Call me when you get done."

"I will, bye."

I feel somewhat better as the call is disconnected. Nikolas calls down the hall way, telling me that Dillon is downstairs waiting in the foyer. I grab my bag, throwing in a piece of paper, and rush down to my love's waiting arms. It's such a cliché, I know, but that's really how it feels every time I see Dillon.

Within twenty minutes, we're at the home where Nikolas had sent our mother. It had been a struggle in the beginning between him and my father, but when she was finally brought home to a place where we could all come visit her, they'd reached an unspoken understanding. It's a beautiful hospital, surrounded by vibrant gardens and with sunny rooms.

"I'm here to see Laura Spencer."

"What is your relationship to the patient?"

"I'm Lesley Lu Spencer, her daughter. I should be on her file as an approved visitor," I tell the receptionist politely. She taps the keyboard a few times, pulling up my mother's record.

"Okay, Ms. Spencer, I'm sure you know where her room is. Here is a guest badge, you'll need to show it to get into the ward," she explains before turning to Dillon. "And who are you?"

"He's my fiancé," I lie, knowing that is about the only way he is getting in with me.

"Fine, you'll need to have Mr. Cassadine add him to the list if he plans to visit in the future," she relents, handing me another badge.

"Thank you," I reply warmly as we walk down the corridor toward the ward. The air is filled with antiseptic and the walls are a bright sterile white. "I still hate hospitals."

"I know," he murmurs as we pause at the ward door. Punching the button, Dillon puts his arm around me while we wait for a response.

"Yes?"

"Lesley Lu Spencer and guest, we're here to visit my mother, Laura Spencer."

An alarm buzzes, releasing the door. I lead the way down the hallway to my mother's spacious private suite. Dillon tries to grab for my hand, but I'm too nervous to let him cling to me. I just want to get there and get through this. Stopping outside the door way, I look into his green eyes and draw strength from his strong gaze.

"Ready?" I inquire.

Dillon nods. "Whenever you are. I just want you to know that no matter whatever happens while we're in there, I'm here for the long haul. Nothing that happens behind those doors is going to change that."

Wordlessly, we head into my mother's room. She's sitting in the same rocking chair as always, dressed in a white cotton nightgown just staring emptily out the window. Kneeling in front of her, I notice that she has goosebumps on her arms so I pull the terrycloth robe tightly around her. "Hey, Mom, it's me. Sorry I haven't been to visit for awhile. There's someone I would like you to meet."

Dillon comes over to stand behind me, his hands resting firmly on my shoulder. I reach for my mom's hand and look into her eyes, willing her to give me a sign of recognition. "Mom, this is Dillon. He's Tracey's son. I know, a Quartermaine, right? Well, Dad likes this one, and I think you would too. He's actually quite like Dad, maybe that's why we get along so well."

Dillon laughs but my mother is still unresponsive. Searching through my bag, I produce a few photographs. "I brought some pictures that I thought you might want to see. Here's Nikolas' son, John. He wanted me to tell you that they'll both be by soon to visit. And here's Lucky with Elizabeth and Cameron. He's a detective now, Mom. You'd be so proud." The inevitable tears are starting to come. "And here's Dad and me after I got out of the hospital during the epidemic. I know Dad's come by to visit you, so you probably know all about that. He's gone now, but you know him. He'll be back soon."

My mother's eyes are still empty, and I silently chide myself. I don't know why I expect a change, I'm just hopeful that she'll come back. I want to be enough to make her come back, but I guess that's not how these things work. "Well, I guess I should tell you why I'm here. You see, you have two amazing grandsons. Cameron and John are the most adorable little boys, I love them both so much. Being an aunt has taught me so many things," I tell her. "And I guess I'm about to learn even more. You're going to be a grandmother for a third time. I'm pregnant, Mom, Dillon and I are going to have a baby."

Tears stream down my face as I grasp my mother's hand fruitlessly. Dillon kneels next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me to him. His collar is quickly soaked by my crying, but he doesn't seem to care. He doesn't try to sooth me with his words; he just lets me get it all out. I'm crying for where my mother is and what she's missing out on. I'm crying for all the love that she is missing out on and all the love from her that we're not getting. Finally, I pull myself together. Placing a soft kiss on my mother hand, I smile up at her.

"Well, Mom, I guess we're going to go. I will bring pictures of the baby the next time I come to visit; we should have an ultrasound by then. Maybe I will even bring Lucky with me, I know he has been meaning to come by as well. We love you so much, Mom, and we miss you."

"Hold on," Dillon whispers as I start to pull him toward the door. He leaves me leaning on the doorframe to return to where my mother is. "Mrs. Spencer, I don't know you, but I have heard so much about you from Luke and Lulu. It's pretty clear that you were an amazing woman. I just wanted to tell you that your daughter is, too. I promise that I'm going to take care of her and this child. I'm going to love her. So, if you can hear me and you were worried about that, please know that you have my word."

Grabbing my hand, he is the one to pull me out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind us. I'm not sure if my mother heard anything either of us said, but I know that we heard it. This incident has brought us even closer together, bringing us to a level that I didn't even know existed. His strength raised me up when I needed it most. The visit was hard, but it was much better than all the ones before because I didn't have to go through it alone.

"We did it," he tells me as we return the badges to the administrative assistant at the desk. "You were amazing."

"I'm sorry I cried like that," I apologize.

"Don't ever apologize for being you," he says. We're alone on the elevator, but you'd think it was overcrowded by how close we are standing. I just want to touch him, to be near him and maintain the connection we built in my mother's room. "I'm so proud of you. The grace and composure you have showed through all of this just illustrates how incredible you are."

"I don't think I could have gotten through this without you."

"I'm sure you could have, I just don't think I would have wanted you to."

"Me neither. Thank you so much for coming here with me today."

"There's nowhere else I belong more than where you are."


	25. Chapter 25

"Dad's coming back into town tomorrow night," Lucky tells me two days later over lunch. He'd come by Kelly's on his break, so I'd taken advantage of my own break and sat down to a decent meal with my brother.

"I guess I'll be telling him in a few days, then," I grumble, looking down at the turkey sandwich emotionlessly.

My brother smiles reassuringly at me, reaching across the table to pat my hand. "He'll take it all in stride, Lu."

"And if not, I've always got Bobbie as a back up. We're telling her and Lucas tonight," I explain. "I kind of feel bad that she doesn't already know, but there have been so many people we've had to tell."

"She'll understand. You know Aunt Bobbie, she'll be worried but supportive," Lucky remarks. "I'll be there to support you, too. I know how Dad can be, but usually, he'll come through. It's not like you're becoming a cop or something."

"This is true," I laugh. "And he likes Dillon."

"I just don't know how much he's going to like the idea of Dillon deflowering his little girl," he counters, shuddering at the thought. "Speaking of which, when are you two moving into the house?"

"This weekend."

"Well, Liz and I don't have the money to buy you a house, but we do have the time and ability to help you do any maintenance to it. Your sister-in-law happens to be a very talented painter, and I can fix about anything."

"Thanks, Luck, I'm sure I will need help fixing up the nursery. I want to start on it as soon as we find out if we're having a little Lucca or a little Lorelai."

"Lucca? Lorelai?"

"Those are the names we picked out. Lucca Spencer, after all the Lucas men in my life, and Spencer because I figured Dad would have a fit otherwise," I explain, causing my brother to laugh. "Lorelai is for Mom and Dillon's grandmother. The two greatest women either of us has ever known. Dillon picked Grace for a middle name, saying that I remind him of Grace Kelly."

"The names are beautiful, Lu. Mom would love them. And don't worry too much about Dad, he can't really do anything other than make a few useless threats and go on one of his tirades."

"Hey, Cousins," Carly calls loudly as she sits in the vacant chair at the table.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Lucky taunts.

I elbowed him in the ribs and threw him a dirty look. "Hey, Carly. Are you on for dinner tonight?"

"You invited her?" Lucky asks.

"I want all the Spencers there, including Carly and the boys. She's bringing Jason, and we're all going to sit down and have dinner like a normal family. Well, as normal as we can manage."

"Oh, goody, Saint Elizabeth will be there."

"Carly," I warn her. "Please, can't everyone just pretend to like each other for one night? For me and for Aunt Bobbie?"

"Fine," they mumbled in unison.

"Anyway, yes, I'll be there, that's why I stopped by actually. Just wanted to make sure that it's still at seven at Mama's house, is that right?"

I nod and smile at my cousin as Lucky stands up. "Well, I will see you ladies tonight. Until then, I have to get back to finding the bad boys."

"Give 'em hell, Detective," I tell him as he heads out the door.

"So, Mama says that Luke is on his way back to town. Nervous?"

"Actually, yeah," I admit. "I've tried to convince myself that it'll be easy and that my dad won't care. But I know deep inside that he will care. He actually has a somewhat normal protective side, probably the only way he is like most fathers."

Carly smiled at me, a small smile playing across her lips. "That's how it was like with my father. Every once in awhile, his agenda would fall by the wayside and I would get this rare glimpse into how much he actually loved me."

"I know that my father never wanted to be a parent, but my mother wanted children. When she got sick, he kind of abandoned ship with me, but over the past year, we've built our own version of a relationship."

"Your dad should thank his lucky stars that he got you two, no pun intended," Carly tells me. "Lucky and you were both great kids from what I saw. For the most part you guys let him off easy."

"Until now."

"Lulu, you can't think of things that way."

"I'm not, I promise. Actually, I've never been happier in my entire life. Dillon wants to be a father. He's told me so many times that he is looking forward to our life together. I think it'll start to feel real once we go for the first sonogram and move into the house."

"I'm really happy for you both," Carly replies genuinely. "I don't really know Dillon, but from what I do know of him, he's your Jason. Other than my two children, there is no one in this world that means more to me than that man. I hope you have found the same in Dillon."

I'm about to respond when two palms fall flat against my eyes. In the darkness, I know the familiar scent of the skin, the recognizable feeling of the touch. "Dillon."

"In the flesh, how'd you guess?" he inquires.

"I know you," I answer as he takes his hands away and Carly stands up. He leans down to kiss me and blows a kiss to my womb.

"Well, I'm out of here. I have to go get the boys from Sonny's. I'll see you two kids tonight."

"Bye," we reply in unison, barely noticing her departure as we cannot take our eyes off each other.

"I missed you this morning," he says once we are alone again.

"Only two more nights, and you won't ever have to miss me again."

"I always miss you when you go away."

"You certainly have a way with the lines."

He winks at me. "So, tonight we tell Bobbie and Lucas."

"And we'll tell my dad in a few days."

"Your dad's back?"

"In two days time, actually. Lucky just told me a bit ago."

"On the up side, that will be our last big reveal."

"We should have just taken out an ad in the _Port Charles Herald_, it would have been easier."

"Oh, yeah, my family would have loved the public scandal element of that."

I yawn deeply as a wave of nausea washes over me. Looking down at my plate, the thought of consuming another bite disgusts me. "Do you want the rest of this?"

"You should eat it."

"I had half plus the fruit salad. I'm full, and if I eat anything else, I might throw it back up."

"Sexy," he retorts, reaching across the table for the sandwich. "So, what is the dress for tonight?"

"Casual, it's just a dinner at Bobbie's."

"Oh, I thought maybe I could take you to buy a new dress this afternoon, but if it's casual then that seems unnecessary."

"Well, as much as I would love a dress, it does seem unnecessary," I answer. "However, I would like to go look at some baby things."

"Whatever you want," he says. There is mayonnaise on the corner of his lip, which he licks off. The very sight makes me want to kiss him, so I do.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing. Everything." I raise my hand to call for the check. Looking around the diner, I realize that Penny has disappeared, only to be replaced with Georgie. "Oh, great."

"Hmm?" he murmurs, looking up at me in confusion.

"Penny's shift ended. Georgie is on."

"Oh, great," he echoes. "Let's just pay the check and get out of here." Georgie comes over and smacks the slip of paper down on the table. Dillon reaches for it, beating me, and drops a twenty on the table wordlessly.

"Let me pay, it was my family's lunch."

"Lu, your family is my family now. My money is your money now. It doesn't matter who pays, it's all coming from the same place," he remarks kindly.

"Well, isn't that just quaint," Georgie snips.

Dillon ignores her and focuses all his attention on me. "Let's start out at Wyndham's. I'd like to look at a few things for our new house."

"Your new what?" Georgie asks.

I look at Dillon and then at her. "Our new home."

"Since when can you afford a house?" she asks Dillon.

"Ned bought it as a gift."

"When we were married, we lived in a tiny room above this hole. You get that skank pregnant, and your brother gives you a house?"

"Guess Ned prefers me over you," I jeer. "Kind of like your husband."

Dillon covers his mouth, trying to fight the laughter as Georgie throws me yet another death stare. "You are such a witch."

"Don't you know any other names, Georgie?" I ask bored. "Whatever, this is lame. Let's go, Dillon."

"Sure thing, baby," he replies, sliding out of his seat and walking around the table to help me up. Georgie stands in the same place, refusing to move out of our way. "Excuse me, Ms. Jones, we need to get through."

"It's Ms. Quartermaine," she corrects.

"Cool!" I exclaim over my shoulder as we walk out of the restaurant. "Soon we'll have the same last name."

Once the door slams shut behind us, Dillon gathers me in his arms and turns me around in a circle. "You're so bad."

"I know, don't you just love it. Sorry I got so nasty, I'm just tired of her being so self-righteous. I shouldn't have made it seem like we're getting married."

"Don't worry about it, I loved every minute of it," he laughs. "Besides, who knows what'll happen?"


	26. Chapter 26

The dinner at Bobbie's went by in a blur. From the moment I walked in the door, Lucas was all over me. He knew straight away that something was wrong with me. I felt slightly guilty for not telling him sooner, but I wanted to make sure that he didn't tell Bobbie. Truth be told, I knew how important this reveal was. My aunt's reaction would directly impact how things would go with my dad. However, true to form, they'd both been as supportive as I would have hoped.

"Honey, that's great!" Aunt Bobbie exclaims, rushing around the table to wrap me in an embrace. Lucas was also on his feet, shaking Dillon's hand beside me. From the corner of my eye, I could see Elizabeth and Lucky exchange relieved looks.

"Yes, yes, it is," Carly announces with a smile. The boys look like angels beside her, Michael grinning up at us and Morgan lost in his mashed potatoes.

Bobbie moved over to Dillon, hugging him as though he was part of the Spencer family. Lucas came around us, lifting me off the ground in a bear hug. "Congrats, Lu, I'm so happy for you," Lucas tells me softly. "Dillon is a great guy, you both deserve the best of everything."

"I know you're in a rough position because of Georgie, so I want you to know how much your support means to me," I reply.

Lucas smiles and shakes his head. "We Spencers have to stick together. I might have a Jones last name, but I was raised by the Spencers. Georgie will be fine. I can love this love child and you and love Georgie. My affection is unlimited."

"That's good to hear because there is something else I would like to share with everyone."

"What is it now?" Lucky asks worriedly, eyeing me skeptically.

"Don't worry, this announcement is all good and no bad," Dillon remarks.

"Dillon and I talked about a few things last night, and we decided who we would like our child's godparents to be," I tell the crowd of onlookers. "Lucas, I would like you to be the godfather."

"Really?!" he exclaims, grinning at me briefly before his eyes turn dark. "Are you sure? My sexuality could cause some issues for the child if I ever had to father him or her."

"Of course we're sure," Dillon says without hesitation.

"Do you love me, Lucas?" I inquire.

"Of course."

"Would you love this child?"

"I already do."

"Would you raise my baby as though he or she were your own?"

"Absolutely."

"Then, that's all I need to know."

Lucas grins at me. "Thank you so much, guys. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Thank you for accepting our proposal," Dillon says, shaking his hand again.

"Just one more question."

"What's that?" I ask.

"Who's the godmother?"

"Brook Lynn," Dillon replies. "We wanted someone from both sides of the family, and she was the first person who came to mind. Even though she's in Bensenhurst with Lois, she's been very supportive so far."

"So, I suppose the question has to be asked. Does your dad know?"

I shake my head. "I was hoping you could help me tell him. Lucky is going to be there, but you're the only one who can get through to him when he is at his worst."

Bobbie smiles. "Of course I will help. How about everyone else?"

"We've told the Quartermaines and Nikolas," I note.

"And Georgie," Dillon adds before she can even ask.

"Well, then, give me the details."

"We're not getting married," I began.

"At least not for now," Dillon adds. "And we're moving into a bungalow this weekend. I'm hoping that we'll be done moving by the time that Luke gets here so that I can have everyone over for a barbecue."

"I don't know, my dad doesn't really do family dinners," Lucky states.

I shake my head. "He's right, Dillon. Besides, the fewer people there, the better. I really think it should just be the two of us plus Lucky and Bobbie. I don't even think he'll want Elizabeth there in case he goes off."

"Because I'm a Spencer by default," Liz mocks, sounding like my father.

"Don't worry, honey, your father will come through," Bobbie promises, patting my hand. "How'd your family take it, Dillon?"

"Well, in their usual manner, I suppose. They've been surprisingly supportive, actually. Even my mom has tried to go out of her way to stand by me."

"And what about the rest of this family, Lulu?"

"Nikolas gave me a talk about responsibility, and Liz and Carly have both been supportive," I reply. "And Lucky has probably been the most supportive of all."

"After a slight breakdown when she told me," Lucky confesses.

"Your mother would be very proud of you," Bobbie tells my brother. They exchange a look, a mutual understanding conveyed in their eyes.

"She'd be proud of us both," Lucky acknowledges.

"Did you tell her?"

"We went a few days ago," Dillon answers for me.

The rest of dinner flies by, and soon, we are saying our goodbyes and heading out into the dark night. Elizabeth and Lucky run to his SUV, laughing as they race to see who can get in first. Carly struggles to get both the boys out to the town car assigned to take them to and from their destinations. Max gets out and takes a sleeping Morgan from her arms as she leads a tired Michael to the backseat. Standing in the doorway, Lucas and Aunt Bobbie wave cheerfully as Dillon helps me slip into his car.

Finally alone, Dillon leans across the seat and captures his lips in mine. "I've wanted to do that all night," he admits. "You did really well."

"I'm an old pro by now," I giggle as I move across the seat until I am next to him. Clicking the seatbelt across my lap, our fingers become intertwined as he makes his way back to Wyndamere. I dread saying goodnight to him but find relief in that this is our last night apart. "I can't wait until tomorrow."

"I know, it's finally moving day."

"What time are the movers coming again?"

"They should be at the mansion at nine. It'll only take an hour or so for us to load my things and then we'll be over to get you."

"Sounds doable. Lucky and Elizabeth are going to meet us over at the new house around noon. Nikolas said that he'd just follow the truck over. Grandma Lesley agreed to watch Cam and John, so we should be able to get a lot of stuff taken care of tomorrow."

"Carly and Jason are going to come over later to help out too," Dillon adds. "She told me when you were helping Bobbie with dessert. I recruited Lucas and Guy to help as well."

"I love it when you take charge," I moan huskily in his ear.

"Stop," he warns. "I'm going to have to drop you off, so don't you dare get me all riled up. I hate when you start things we can't finish."

"Me? Never."

"Yes, you," he murmurs, poking me in the side as we wait at a green light just before the bridge road. "Have I told you today that I love you?"

"Hmm," I think, cocking my head to the side. "Maybe, but I don't think I can hear it enough."

"Love you. Love me?"

"Quite."

"Good answer," he muses. "You know, this car has a very spacious backseat."

"Is that any way to talk to the mother of your child?" I tease. "I'm a dame with class, Mr. Quartermaine. I'm a lady."

"That you are," he growls, nipping at my neck before driving the car forward. We're fairly quiet the rest of the way home. Finally, the car comes to a rest in front of the dark mansion my brother refers to as home. Looking up at the massive structure, I shiver. In the day time, the place is beautiful, but at night, I remember the history of the place. "Well, you're home. Door to door service."

"A girl could get used to a life like this," I mumble as I turn to him. I'm not ready to go up yet, so I decide to have a little fun with my favorite father-to-be. His eyes dance with desire as I push him back against the smooth leather seat. Straddling him, I capture his gaze before capturing his lips. He moans against my lips in false protest before giving in. His arms move down my body and encircle my waist, pulling me closer to him. I can feel his desire as my hands move up to play in his short blonde hair. Breaking the kiss, I sigh and crawl off his lap. Winking cheekily, I grab my bag and open the door."

"Whoa, wait."

"What?" I ask innocently.

"That's what I was talking about earlier. You have me all riled up now. You're such a tease."

"Actually, Mr. Director, I believe that is what you film buffs refer to as the coming attractions."

"Well, that is one film I will definitely have to see."


	27. Chapter 27

I wake up the next morning with such energy and abandon. Dancing around my bedroom, I throw the rest of my belongings into cartons as I sing loudly to the song playing on my stereo. Most of everything was already packed neatly into boxes, marked in bold block letters with black permanent ink. Other than my CDs and a few other essentials, the room is bare. In a few hours, there will be hardly a trace of me left in this place.

"Lu, do you need any help?" Nikolas calls after tapping lightly on the door.

"Sure, come in," I reply, smiling brightly at my oldest brother as he comes in the room. Rather than dressed in his usual impeccable threads, he looks like he's ready for a day of deep cleaning in his faded jeans and green hooded sweatshirt.

"I can't believe you're not going to be here when I wake up tomorrow," he tells me sadly as he wraps a picture frame in newspaper. It's one of the photographs I had grabbed when I moved out of the Quartermaine mansion all those weeks ago. It feels like a whole different lifetime. "I've missed you. I really got used to you being here."

"I've loved living here with you and John. Thank you so much for giving me a home and a family when I needed it the most."

"You're welcome," he remarks formally, his years of training showing in his tone. "So, are you excited about today?"

"Nervous, actually. Everything has gone so well up to now that I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's like it's be too easy."

Nikolas nods knowingly. "I know that feeling."

"It's haunting," I explain. "I feel like I'm looking for the bad rather than letting myself enjoy the good."

"Enjoy the good, my dear sister, you deserve it."

Checking my watch, I note that the truck should be here any moment. Nikolas leaves to wait for them downstairs while I throw my final few possessions into an open box. The photographs are tucked into the large bag that contains all the rest of my necessities. My journal and the new framed photograph taken of Dillon and me the night we found out I was pregnant are the last two things placed in the bag. The doorbell rings, setting the process in motion.

"All the boxes out of the last bedroom go," Nikolas orders. "And the red velvet chaise lounge."

"The chaise?"

"That's my gift to you," he explains. "I know how much you love it, so I want you to have it. It can be the piece of this home that you take with me."

"Thanks, Nik!" I cry, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. The chatter of the movers is drowned out by our laughter.

Within an hour, the boxes are loaded into the truck. Nikolas tells the men that we will follow them over in his car. John has already been dropped off at Grandma Lesley's, so we're quickly on our way. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I take one look at Wyndamere, realizing that it will never again be my home.

"I'm kind of sad," I gush as we slip into the car. Tears have formed in the corner of my eyes, causing Nikolas to laugh at my sensitivity. "Shut up, it's the hormones."

"Sure it is, softy. They always blame the hormones."

From inside my purse, I hear my phone beep, indicating that I have received a text message. Anxiously, I retrieve it, hoping that it's Dillon. Despite our previous arrangements, he'd decided to meet me at the house. I was disappointed that he hadn't bothered to come over and help this morning, but figured that whatever it was that kept him, it was probably important.

_Can't wait until you are here with me in our new home. Please hurry, my love, I miss you._

I smile like a fool as I tap a quick message back. The few minutes between Nikolas' and my new house seem so much longer due to anticipation. Suddenly, an idea pops into my head, a deep yearning whirling up inside me.

"Can you make a quick swing through the diner?"

"Why?"

"I have a craving," I reluctantly admit. "I'm having a hankering for Kelly's French fries with barbecue sauce."

"Then, French fries with barbecue sauce you will get."

I send another text message to tell Dillon of my plans just as Nikolas kills the motor in the parking lot. I'm excited to see my brother's SUV parked a few cars down. "Look, Lucky's here."

Inside, Elizabeth and Lucky smile widely as I bound into our family's café. "What are you two doing here? I figured you would be at the house already," Liz replies.

"This one had a craving."

"Oh, yeah, I remember those," my sister-in-law remarks.

"Aren't they the best?" I joke.

"Come join us," Lucky orders, raising his hand to call Penny over to the table. She just glances over and brings me a cup of tea out of habit.

"Thanks, Penny."

"Toast?" she asks.

I shake my head as Nikolas speaks up, "French fries and barbecue sauce. And can I get a cup of coffee, please?"

The waitress disappears as we return to our conversation. "So, Lu, are you excited about today?" Liz asks.

"I'm actually kind of nervous," I confess. "This is a huge step. I'm ready for it, just so much is changing at once. I guess it's all catching up with me."

"Change can be nerve-racking," Lucky says. "But if anyone can do it, Lu, I know that you can. Dillon is crazy about you, and he treats you right. And if he doesn't, well, I'll just exercise my Spencer survival skills and make him disappear."

"Thank you, I always knew there was a reason that you're my favorite brother."

"Hey, what am I?"

"Her second favorite," Lucky tries.

"I'm a Cassadine, we are known for our murderous ways," Nikolas nearly boasts.

"Truer words were never spoken," Liz murmurs under her breath. Lucky and I wait a beat and burst into laughter.

"Nice burn, honey," Lucky remarks.

"Such a Spencer thing to say," I add.

"Three against one, no fair," Nikolas whines.

"You know I'm kidding, I love you two the same," I comfort him. And the rest of the meal progresses in a similar manner, full of familial jokes and prodding. It feels nice to be with my brothers and Elizabeth. We haven't spent enough time together over the years, especially since Mom got sick

As we leave the restaurant, we decide to ride over together, leaving Lucky's car in the parking lot. The mood is light and cheerful on the short trip to the bungalow. Each mile makes my smile wider until my jaws literally hurt from smiling. My brothers make fun of me, harping on Liz when she tries to stick up for me. The camaraderie among us is undeniable and the closeness that I feel for these people is overwhelming.

"I just want to tell you guys I love you," I announce suddenly.

"Please don't cry again," Nikolas begs.

"Shut up," I stammer through the tears.

From behind me, Lucky slips his arms around my shoulders and squeezes me. "It's okay, Sis. We love you, too."

Nikolas makes a slow left turn and I realize we're in the homestretch. The shady road is quiet. An older woman walks by, talking to the tiny dog scampering just ahead of her. Across the street, a young mother is planting flowers with a toddler. Everything is perfect.

And then Nikolas pulls his car into the driveway, stopping just behind an older blue car. Recognizing it immediately, I bound out of the car without another word to my family. Lucky is in hot pursuit just behind me, quite aware that something isn't right.

"Dillon!" I yell, letting the door slam behind me. I can barely hear Lucky come in behind me. "Dillon!"

He doesn't answer as I run through the bottom floor of the house. Through the kitchen, across the dining room and to the back deck, my search comes up empty. Lucky is chasing after me, yelling at me to stop and rest. I know that I'm breathless but the adrenaline gives me the energy I need. Sweeping back through the living room, I brush past a shocked Nikolas and a bewildered Elizabeth. Running up the stairs, I find him standing in the middle of the nursery but he isn't alone.

"Dillon!" I scream.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Lucky shouts, lunging past me.

There, in the middle of my child's room, I find Dillon with his lips on his wife's.


	28. Chapter 28

II can feel anger pulsing through my veins as Lucky pushes past me to wrap his arms around Dillon's throat. Part of my brain tells me to stop the altercation, but the irrational part of me wins out. I can hear Nikolas and Elizabeth come up behind me, yelling at Lucky to stop. Georgie is standing in the middle of my family, gawking at the scene unfolding around her.

"What is going on here?" Nikolas demands.

Lucky throws Dillon against a wall, using his strong arm to hold him in place. "He was kissing Georgie. He was kissing her in the room he plans to raise my niece or nephew in."

Before I know it, Nikolas is on Dillon, yelling angry threats in face. Liz glances at me and realizes that I'm not going to do anything about it. "Guys, stop, let him go. Lu, tell them to let him go."

"Lucky, put him down," I state plainly, completely disconnected from the situation.

"Lu, I can explain," Dillon cries as he pushes past my brothers. I stare at him blankly, his words going in one ear and out the other. "She just showed up here. I tried to get her to leave, but she wouldn't go until she had a tour of the house. When we got up here, she cornered me and started kissing me."

"And you couldn't stop her?" I ask hoarsely. "Dillon, how could you do this? How could you let this happen? I'm so angry and hurt that I'm numb."

Dillon opens and closes his mouth several times, the words failing to come. "There's nothing I can say to make this right. It shouldn't have happened. I didn't pursue it, but I didn't stop it either. I just hope that you know that it doesn't matter, she doesn't matter to me like that anymore. I love you, you're my life now."

"Maybe we should give them some privacy," Elizabeth suggests.

Lucky and Nikolas look at me. "What do you want?" Nikolas asks.

"Don't go, not yet," I reply. "You haven't even said what I need to hear most."

"What haven't I said?"

"Well, you could start with 'I'm sorry' and follow it up with some persistent begging," Lucky declares.

"I guess I'll go. Thanks for the tour, Dillon," Georgie remarks smartly.

"Not so fast, Ms. Jones," Elizabeth chimes in, stepping in front of the door to block her path. "You did this on purpose. Why would you do something like that?"

"She took Dillon from me to start with. He's my husband, and now, he's making a life with her and their child. I didn't do anything wrong, I was just trying to even up the playing field," Georgie says hotly.

Liz grimaces and shakes her head. "I can't believe you are Mac and Felicia's daughter. I know that they raised you better than this. In what world do two wrongs make a right? I know that Lulu did something horrible to you, and I understand your anger toward her. But Dillon chose her, and there is nothing you can do to change that. He forgave her."

"Look, I was just looking for revenge, and I got it."

"So, you did this purely out of spite?" I ask.

"How is that any different from what you did?" she inquires.

"I did it because I was in love with Dillon," I reply. "You did it because you hate me. I may not like you, but I would never have done this just to hurt you. I tried to apologize, I've tried to make this right. I'm done trying, I'm done apologizing and I'm done with you."

"Idle threats will get you no where, Lesley Lu," Georgie taunts.

"But they will get you somewhere, Georgie," Dillon replies hatefully. "Get out of our house."

She leaves in a huff, stomping down the stairs and slamming the door behind her. My brothers and Elizabeth stand beside me awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other, waiting for me to tell them what to do next. "Can you give us a minute?"

"Sure, we'll go start unpacking the kitchen," Elizabeth tells me. Lucky shoots Dillon a dark look before throwing me a reassuring smile. Nikolas squeezes my hand on the way by, and we're alone again.

"I'm sorry."

"Not good enough, Dillon."

"What can I do to make you believe me?"

"Tell me how I am supposed to trust you, Dillon. How are we going to raise a child together if I can't?"

"You can trust me, Lulu. You have to, you have to find a way. I am in love with you. I want to spend my life with you."

"This is it, Dillon. This is our moment of truth. This is my life, this is all I have. Can you imagine what it would be like to find me kissing another man in the middle of our baby's room on the day we're moving in together? We were supposed to start our new life as a family today, and you've ruined that. I was so excited, but you managed to break my heart."

Tears have started to roll down Dillon's tanned face. "Please, you have to forgive me," he pleads. "You have to forgive me, you have to forgive me." I watch as he crumples to the floor, his body racked with sobs.

Waiting a beat, I drop to my knees and take him in my arms. As angry as I am, I cannot stand by and watch the man I love fall apart like this. His green eyes peer up at me anxiously, trying to read the emotion in my eyes. "I forgive you. This one time, I will forgive you, but if you ever do it again, I'm gone. I will leave you."

"It will never happen again," he promises, burying his face in my hair.

"I hate her, Dillon. I know that I shouldn't, but I do. Is this how our life is going to be? Am I always going to have to wonder if she's going to pop up and try to ruin our lives?"

"She can try all she wants, Lu, but I won't let her do this again."

"Promise?" I whisper.

"Promise," he whispers back before kissing me.

Brushing away his tears with my knuckles, I press my forehead against his once we have pulled apart. "Let's go down and help. Who knows where Lucky will put everything!"

Taking my hand, Dillon leads me down the stairs. He pauses at the foot of the landing to place a gentle kiss on my lips before heading into the kitchen. Elizabeth looks up at me expectantly while Nikolas clears his throat nervously. Only Lucky seems unaffected, humming to himself as he stacks the deep red plates in the cabinet.

"Hey," Dillon says to the room. "I just want to apologize to you all for what happened."

"You don't have to apologize to us, just our sister," Nikolas counters.

"He has, he did," I tell them. "I forgave him, so you can too."

"Fine, but if you do it again, I will kill you," Lucky vows. "I'm dead serious, too."

"So, um, let's get to unpacking," Liz tries. The tension is noticeable but not insurmountable.

"Actually, I have a gift first," Lucky announces.

"You do?" I inquire.

"Yes, it was a surprise. No one knew about it, not even Liz. C'mon," he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the deck. Sitting in the middle of the cedar porch, I see the most beautiful white wicker bassinet.

"Oh, Lucky," I cry. "It's beautiful."

"Mom used this when you were a baby. Grandma Lesley had it stored up in the attic, so when I remembered it a few days ago, I went up and got it."

"Thank you so much," I whisper, hugging him tightly.

"There's more," Nikolas says from behind me. I turn around to see him pushing out an old-fashioned baby carriage. With stainless steel hardware and a gauzy white sunshade, it's absolutely what I had envisioned for my child.

"Nikolas, what have you done?"

"So you love it?"

"Absolutely, I love it. I love you guys," I gush, embracing them both.

"What about me?" Elizabeth chimes in, joining us on the deck with a small parcel in her hand. "Here, this is from Cam and me." Pulling away the tissue blanket, I find a soft cashmere blanket. "I made it on my breaks from the hospital."

"It's perfect, Liz. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"It looks like we have the makings of a very nice nursery," I tell Dillon as he walks over and wraps his arm around my waist. Resting my head on his shoulder, I beam at my siblings. "I have the best brothers and the most amazing sister."

"You'll get no arguments from me," Dillon remarks.

"Me neither," Liz adds with a laugh.

"Our baby is going to have the most amazing family," I retort.

"Your what?" my father's voice bellows from behind me.

_How does this keep happening to me?_ I wonder silently. _So much for my plan! What am I going to do now? There's no way I can talk my way out of this one. Oh, screw it_. "Dad, I'm pregnant."


	29. Chapter 29

TThe next few minutes are a blur. I can hear my father muttering to himself as he paces the living room and hallway before lunging for Dillon. The old adage, 'like father, like son,' rings true for the Spencer family as my father's hands wrap around the tanned column of Dillon's neck. Lucky tries to intervene before managing to get my dad to move away from Dillon. They stand nose-to-nose yelling at each other until Elizabeth gently convinces my father to get some air outside.

Visibly shaken, I allow Nikolas to guide me to the overstuffed suede armchair the moves had unloaded in the corner. I can hear Lucky and my father arguing outside, their voices filling the afternoon air.

"Dad, you cannot yell at her. She's pregnant, and I don't want the stress doing anything to that baby," Lucky shouts. "Right now is a very sensitive time for Lulu, and you are not going to come in here and jeopardize her health."

"Your sister is pregnant by her stepbrother, do you realize that?" my father yells back.

"Oh, stop acting self-righteous, Dad. You know damn well that you only married Tracey for the money. Lulu didn't grow up with Dillon. They're not family."

"How could you let this happen?"

"_Let_ this happen? You're her father."

"I asked you to look after her."

Dillon swings the door open and steps onto the porch. "Look, Luke, I respect you, but I'm not going to let you come in our house and upset Lulu. She can't handle the stress right now."

"Excuse me, Young Spielberg, but this is a family discussion concerning my daughter," Dad retorts.

"Well, Lulu is my family. She and this child are my whole life."

"What about your wife?"

"My soon-to-be ex-wife has moved on, and so have I."

"Well, then maybe you can explain to me exactly how Lulu ended up pregnant?"

"These things happen, Dad," Lucky chimes in.

"Luke, you can come in. You are her father, and you're always welcome. But if you are going to yell and scream, I'd rather you just stay away."

"I need a drink."

"When don't you need a drink, Dad?" I ask, leaning against to doorjamb.

"Don't be like that, Lesley Lu. If anyone gets to act disappointed, it should be."

"You lost that privilege a long time ago," I reply. "You don't get to have a say in my life any more. Lucky has done everything for me; he's been the most constant thing in my life. Nikolas and Elizabeth have both been incredibly supportive, and Carly gave me advice when I needed it most. Grandma Lesley, Aunt Bobbie and Lucas have all done so much for me."

"And Dillon," I continue, "he's been more there for me than almost anyone in my life other than Lucky. He loves me, and I love him. We are going to have this child, and we are going to have a family and a life together."

"Well, don't expect me to be a grandfather. I don't do grandpa."

"You didn't do Dad either," I mutter. "Look, I went and told Mom. The entire time I was sitting in that room, I kept thinking how happy she would be to know that she has two beautiful, amazing grandsons with another grandchild on the way. Why can't you be happy for Lucky and me?"

"Believe it or not, I am happy for you both. I'm incredibly proud of who you've become."

"Then, why can't that be enough for you, Dad?" I cry. "Why don't you want to stay around? My entire life, I've tried to do things to make you interested in me. Ice fishing, pulling scams, whatever I could do to grab an ounce of your attention. I've just wanted you to love me. Why don't you love me?"

"Oh, great, she's crying," he mumbles under his breath. The tears only come harder until I am bawling and sobbing.

"Enough, Luke, out," Dillon states matter-of-factly, pointing toward the door.

My father just looks at me sadly and shakes his head. I'm not sure that I've ever felt worse than I do in that moment. I've finally said everything I've ever wanted to say to my dad, and he is just looking at me in disgust. Lucky leads my father out the door. I cannot make out the words they exchange on the porch, only the undertones of their tenor voices can be heard. Elizabeth peeks out the window, watching intently but unemotionally.

"Baby, are you okay?" Dillon asks as he kneels in front of me. Wrapping his strong arms around my waist, he pulls me to the floor and into his lap. Snuggling my head into the soft fabric of his shirt, I saturate the supple cotton material with my tears.

"We're going to go," Nikolas softly. I feel Dillon's chin brush against my hair as he nods. The three of them offer their farewells, exiting as quickly as possible before leaving us alone.

Ten minutes later, I've finally stopped crying and crawl out of Dillon's arms. He pulls a large pillow and tosses it on the carpet. Laying my head against the fluffy cushion, he covers my body with a crocheted blanket. I pull him down next to me, snuggling my head into the crook of his arm. His long legs wrap around mine on the outside of the blanket.

"I can't believe he said those things to me, Dillon. I'll never forget the way he looked at me."

"What can I do?"

"Just hold me," I murmur, sounding like some damsel in distress from a soap opera. I allow him to take care of me for the rest of the afternoon, doting on me affectionately until I finally fall into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

An hour later, I awaken, my dreams leaving me feeling restless. Dillon is still beside me, one arm thrown across my body with his head propped up on the other. "Hey, sleepy."

"How long was I out?"

"Not too long, maybe an hour," he replies as he draws me closer to him yet. "Do you feel better?" I nod silently. "What do you want to do now?"

"I want to finish unpacking our new dishes, take a long bath in our new bathroom, have a nice dinner at our beautiful new table and make love in our amazing new bed. Not necessarily in that order."

"Mmm," he murmurs, lifting me effortlessly into his arms and heading for the landing.

"Put me down," I insist. He drops me to the carpet, my feet sinking into the plush carpet. Yanking on the hem of his shirt, I tug it easily over his head and take the first few steps. He follows, unbuttoning my shirt from behind me. Our shoes are discarded midway up the staircase before our pants hit the floor at the top. All undergarments are disposed of by the time we reach the bedroom and fall onto the sheets.

"I love you," he whispers as he leans over me, our bare flesh pressed warmly against each other. Laying kisses along my hairline and down my jaw, I moan against his mouth as his lips finally find mine.

"I love you," I echo as he caresses me tenderly. I writhe in his touch as I roll us over so that I'm on top. Moving as one, our bodies are hungry for each other. This constant craving consumes me as I press closer to him.

Rolling us over again, he looks into my eyes and repeats, "I love you." I swear, those three words could pretty much get me to do whatever he wants. Wrapping my leg around his bare back, we're as close as two people can physically get.

By the time our love has been consummated once again, we are both breathless and spent. Trading light, feathery kisses, it hits me that Dillon and I are finally in our house. "We're home."


	30. Chapter 30

"Luke, I appreciate your apology, but I'm not the one you need say sorry to," I hear Dillon's voice say from downstairs. "We're only in the middle of her first trimester. I don't want the next seven months to be a stressful time for Lulu. She needs to be surrounded by people that love and support her."

"How do I tell her I'm sorry? I've never been good at apologizing to her for some reason. She's so much like me but yet so different. Barbara Jean always said she was the perfect meshing of her mother and me."

"Your daughter is amazing. She's funny without really knowing. She hates when anyone gives her any praise or recognition – it instantly turns her into this self-deprecating shy little girl. She laughs with her entire body and smiles with her entire face. She believes in me, even when I can't believe in myself. She knows how to survive in any and all circumstances."

"You're in love with my daughter."

"Absolutely, completely in love with her," Dillon replies. "Even better, she's in love with me. You should have seen her, Luke. She has been so together about this, even though I know she's afraid. Before she even told me about the baby, she had made up her mind to do this, even if she had to raise him or her alone."

"I guess she didn't get my free spirit. She must have the yearning for familial roots more like her mom. I thought that maybe she would adopt that part of me since Lucky's already settled down."

Dillon waits a beat before I hear his answer. "She never would have asked me for this family, but I know that it is what she wants. I want it, too. I want this to be a forever kind of thing; I want to share my life with her."

"Are you talking about marriage?" my dad laughs.

"She doesn't know that, but yeah, I want to marry her someday," Dillon admits. "A stupid, senseless lie changed our entire lives. Even when I thought I wouldn't be able to forgive with her, I knew that I needed her in my life. She did this to us, but I still came out on the other end completely in love with her."

His touching confession makes my heart flutter. I've been thinking about becoming Dillon's wife since the minute I found out I was pregnant, but I never knew that it was something he wanted. I chose to put it off because I understood the importance of not moving too fast. Even if it doesn't happen any time soon, it's comforting to know that it is something I can think about and look forward to in our future."

"I suppose I should ask you about how you plan on taking care of her?"

"First, I have a question for you. For most of her life, you've paid little attention to anything she's done. You didn't even bother to show up to her high school graduation. Why do you care of all a sudden?"

"It's never been that I didn't care," my father tells Dillon. "It's just that this whole parenting thing was more Laura's department. She wanted children, so we had them. I tried to do the family thing when she was…anyhow, when she fell apart, I just couldn't stick around."

"So, when your children, especially your very young daughter, needed someone the most, you left? Do you have any idea how that has affected her? She has spent most of her life thinking she had no one. Every day of her life, Lulu has had to question whether she had anyone in the world that loved her. I just don't get how you could do that to her."

"I'll tell you something I've never told anyone," Dad confides. "Being around Lesley Lu is hard for me. She reminds me so much of her mother that sometimes it's overwhelming. It pushes me so close to the edge that I know I have to run away or I'm going over the edge. I'm asking you about this because I need to know that you're going to be there to love her when I can't. I need to know that they are going to be taken care of. Not just for Laura, I need to know for myself."

"Lulu is going to be fine. We both have jobs, and we're going to stay in school. We have a home, my trust fund to keep us afloat in the bad times and amazing people to love and support us."

"Thank you, son," my father says, his voice eerily calm.

"Are you going to apologize to her?"

"I can't."

"Then, maybe you should leave. She'll be up soon, and I don't want her to be upset," Dillon retorts. I smile to myself, touched by his protectiveness.

"Tell her that I came by, tell her that I want you two to be happy together."

"No, you need to tell me that yourself," I say, causing them to both spin around in shock. I had crept down the stairs undetected.

"You heard that?" my father asks.

"I heard everything, Dad. I've waited my entire life to hear some of the things you told Dillon so easily. Why couldn't you just be open with me?"

"It's not the Spencer way."

"I am so freaking tired of hearing about the Spencer way."

"Well, I don't really know what else to say."

"Say goodbye, it's what you do best."

"Lulu…"

"Save it, Dad. I'll see you next time you decide to swing through town. If you want updates on my child or me, you know that Aunt Bobbie or Lucky will know what's going on. Since those are the only two people other than Mom you've ever cared about, you can find out from them."

"Lulu," my father repeats, but it's too late. I've already disappeared into the kitchen. I hear Dillon exchange a few more words with my father before the sound of a door slamming resounds through the house. I brush away the single tear that had escaped from my tightly closed eyes and pull eggs out of the refrigerator. Cracking shell after shell into the big mixing bowl, I ignore Dillon's presence and focus on the task at hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Can we not right now? I just want to make eggs and enjoy a quiet breakfast in our new house. This is our first morning in our home. Please don't let my father ruin it."

"Fair enough. What do you want me to do?"

"Can you chop the onions? I'm going to make omelets. I'm thinking onions, spinach, mushrooms and lots of cheese."

"Sounds delicious. I bought a loaf of whole wheat bread, so we can have toast on the side."

"Do you want coffee?"

"I think I'll have tea with you. You seem to enjoy it."

"I do," I say, dropping the whisk into the bowl and sauntering up behind him. Wrapping my arms around his torso, I lean my head on his strong back. "I enjoy you."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mmhmm," I murmur as he turns around in my arms. Lifting me effortlessly onto the counter, he nudges his way between my slightly parted thighs and begins to kiss me. "Ow," I mutter against his lips as my head thumps against the cabinet.

"Sorry," he laughs before kissing me again.

"What about my omelet?"

"You're kissing me, and all you can think about is an omelet?"

"I'm hungry," I whine.

"Fine, fine."

I hop off the counter, kissing him chastely on the cheek before bouncing back to the cutting board. "I need those onions. Chop, chop!"

A bit later, I flip the final omelet out of the skillet and flop it onto the plate. Dillon is buttering the last piece of toast just as I set everything on the cozy table we'd sat in the breakfast nook.

"I'm not hungry any more," I whimper as I look down at the food in front of me.

"Not hungry? After all that?"

"Well, not for this."

"What are you hungry for?"

"You."

"Stop it," he laughs. "You insisted on these omelets, and we're eating them. Besides, you need to get your protein. I have a feel you're going to need all the energy you can get."

"Why? Are we planning to do a lot of unpacking today? Or run a marathon?"

"Well, I had a marathon in mind, but I don't think it includes any running. In fact, never mind what I said about those eggs," he drawls as we race up the stairs.


	31. Chapter 31

Late the next afternoon, I'm headed to my doctor's appointment. A routine checkup, I had asked Elizabeth to accompany to the hospital since Dillon had to spend the afternoon at ELQ going through some type of junior management training. He had offered to go, but I insisted that he get through his last training session. I knew how much he hated enduring the countless hours with his grandfather, so I figured that forcing him into getting it over with would alleviate his stress later.

Seated behind the wheel of Dillon's chrome-colored convertible, Elizabeth and I are bopping in time to the bubblegum pop tune playing on the radio. "This is a great car, Lu," Elizabeth yells over the music.

"Thanks, it's Dillon's company car from ELQ. Edward insisted that he has one, and Dillon insisted that I drive it."

"How's that all going?"

"Good. I was nervous at first that he would get stuck in the position and give up on his dream of becoming a director. But now, I think he has found a balance between the present and the future. I'm pretty proud of him."

"It shows," she notes. "You remind me so much of myself talking about Lucky. I've always heard people tell us that the love we share is so rare, and I always thought the same thing about your parents. Just being around Luke and Laura, you knew they were in love. I get the same feeling around you and Dillon."

"It must be a Spencer thing," we reply in unison.

Liz laughs. "You know, it's a pretty intimidating family to come into, but I think I finally felt like a Spencer for the first time yesterday. When I stepped in front of Georgie to block the door, all those rules your brother used to spout kicked in."

"Thank you for standing up for me yesterday, Liz."

"You're my little sister, Lulu, I will always stick up for you. I'm closer to you than either of my siblings. I've barely seen Steven or Sarah since I moved to Port Charles. Whenever I have needed anything, you Spencers have always been there for me. Other than Grams, you're the only family I got in this town."

I reach over and squeeze her hand affectionately. "So, tell me about motherhood."

"It's the best thing that has ever happened to me. It doesn't matter how bad of a day I've had at the hospital or if Lucky and I are arguing, one look into Cam's deep brown eyes, and I just melt. Nothing else matters to me when I'm with my son. There really isn't any logic to it, no rhyme or reason. I just love my son."

"I know what you mean," I laugh. "I've already fallen in love with this baby. I find myself talking to her all the time. When anything happens, my first instinct is always to cover my stomach to protect her. She and Dillon are already my entire life."

"She? Is it a girl?"

"Well, I obviously don't know for sure, but I just have this feeling. This is my daughter," I tell her, running my hand across my stomach.

"I knew Cameron was a boy. At first I didn't want to be pregnant, my life was a mess. Zander and I had just slept together on a whim. I was reeling from Ric's latest scheme, and he was hurt from Emily's affair with Nikolas. We were just trying to comfort each other, but I ended up pregnant. It was hard, you know, because I knew there was no future with us. And then I tried to reconcile with Ric, what a mess that was! Zander fell apart, and then…"

"Do you think Cameron will ever want to know about his real father?"

Elizabeth nods. "I'm sure he will, and I will tell him the truth. Zander was a good man who just made bad decisions in the end of his life. When he loved, he loved with all his heart. He made a very hard decision to walk away from Cameron because he knew it would be the best thing for our son. That's why I agreed to name him after Zander's dad. I wanted my son to have part of his father with him always."

"I know that it'll be hard on Lucky when the time comes," Liz continues. "But I guess there isn't really much Cam will be able to do considering they're both gone. In all the ways that count, Lucky is his father, but I want my son to know where he comes from. That means knowing about Zander's family as well as Lucky and mine."

"I admire that about you, Elizabeth. You put what's best for your son above your own comfort."

"You have to be selfless for your children," she explains. "You can't let your own emotions overshadow what you need to do for your children. That's why I left Port Charles to have Cam. I knew that I needed to get away from Ric to give my son the start in life he deserved. I'm so glad I left because it led me back to your brother."

"Do you regret anything?"

"I used to regret that Lucky and I wasted all those years apart, but I can't do that anymore. If I hadn't, Zander and I would have never become friends and sought comfort that night. From that brief affair, I got my son. I needed to go through all that to have Cameron, and I'd do it again."

"Me, too," I admit. "I wish that Dillon and I hadn't started in the way that we did, but I wouldn't change a thing if it means I wouldn't have this baby."

"You've really grown up, Lulu," Elizabeth comments as I pull into the nearest parking spot to the door. "Nervous?"

A warm summer wind whips through the air, causing my flared skirt dance around my knees. "No," I shake my head. "I'm kind of excited, actually."

"Well, if it isn't two of Port Charles most beautiful ladies!" Nikolas calls as he walks up behind us. John is tucked into a carrier on his stomach. "What are you two doing here?"

"I'm on my way to the doctor," I explain, ruffling John's hair. "You?"

"Hospital board meeting, bet you're jealous."

"Hmmm, not so much," Liz laughs as we walk through the front door together. Heading for the elevator, I listen as the fall into the comfortable pattern of a conversation on hospital business. I'm content to just make faces at John over Nik's shoulder as we step inside."

"What do you think, Lulu?"

I shake my head, coming back to reality. "What? Sorry, Nik, I wasn't listening."

"I was saying that maybe you would like to look for an administrative position here at General Hospital rather than working at Kelly's."

I shake my head defiantly. "I'm not going to use my family connections to get a job."

"You're my sister, please let me do this for you. I don't want you to spend the next seven months on your feet."

"Besides, we could meet for lunch!" Liz chirps happily.

"Can I think about it?" I ask Nikolas as Elizabeth's pager goes off.

Pulling it from her purse, she inspects the number and rolls her eyes. "They're short staffed upstairs," she tells me as the elevator stops on my floor. "They need me to come up. I don't have to if you want me to come with you to the appointment."

"No, that's fine, I can go by myself," I say, stepping off the elevator. "I'll let you know how it goes. Have fun!"

"Bye," Nikolas and Liz reply before the doors shut and the elevator moves upward toward their destinations. Turning around, I start to walk to the nurse's station to sign in but stop short. There, leaning against the counter casually is my father. He's talking to Aunt Bobbie, his eyes uncharacteristically dark as they are both lost in their quiet conversation.

"Hi, Aunt Bobbie," I greet as I scribble my name on the clipboard. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Princess," he says softly. "What are you doing here?"

Aunt Bobbie looks up and smiles at me warmly, almost reassuringly. "She's here for a checkup. Where's Dillon?"

"He's working. Liz was supposed to come with me, but she just got called in to work. It's no big deal, I can do this alone."

"Do you want me to come in with you?" she asks.

"No," Dad answers for me. "I will."

"You will?" Bobbie and I ask at the same time, clearly shocked.

My dad only nods. "I haven't been a very good father, and I haven't even tried to be a grandfather to Cameron. Laura would want better for her children; God knows you two deserve it. I'm not making promises, but I'm going to try."

I want to cry but think better of it. I know that any sign of real emotion could easily scare off my father, so I choose to play it nonchalant instead. "Cool."

"Okay, well, Dr. Kelly is waiting for you. Why don't you go and change into your gown, and I'll send your father down in a few minutes."

When I'm alone, I let the tears come. I can't believe my father is about to come to this appointment with me. This one time makes up for so much, for all the school plays, soccer games, concerts and graduations that he missed. It probably shouldn't, but I know this his way of apologizing. A quiet knock breaks me out of my happy daze. "Are you ready, Ms. Spencer?" Dr. Kelly calls through the door.

"Yes, please come in," I tell her as I pull the top button through its slot. The doctor comes in with my father behind her. She shows him to his appointed stool near my head as I slide onto the cold, uncomfortable table.

As she applies the cool brown gel to my belly, my father watches on in amazement. "I've never seen all this before," he tells me quietly. "I missed it with your mother. She always tried to get me to go, but doctors have always made me so nervous." Dr. Kelly flips on the black and white screen as the sonogram machine warms up. Looking up into my father's gentle blue eyes, I can read his nervousness.

"It's okay to be scared, Dad," I whisper, reaching for his trembling hand. He smiles this smile at me that convinces me that somehow, things will always be okay between my father and me. We're still staring at each other when the screen comes to life, displaying an undistinguishable blob. I can hear the rapid bump-bump-bump of my baby's heartbeat.

My dad looks at me in amazement. "That's my baby's baby."


	32. Chapter 32

"I wish you could have there, Dillon!" I bubble. "You should have seen my dad, the look in his eyes was priceless. He was amazed during the sonogram, uncharacteristically sentimental about the whole thing. I think he might have even gotten a little misty eyed."

"That's great, Lu," Dillon replies noncommittally. I can detect the reluctance in his tone as he tries to avoid my gaze.

Reaching up, I turn his head until his eyes meet mine. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm happy for you."

"Please don't lie to me."

"It's just, I just don't want him to hurt you again," he admits. "Your father has the habit of coming on strong for awhile and then he disappears again. You always end up disappointed, and I hate seeing you go through that."

"I know how he is. You're right, he'll probably leave town again without telling me, and I'll feel disappointed. But this time is different."

"How? How is this time different?"

"Because I won't feel abandoned. I have you."

"You're so beautiful," he whispers, leaning over on the park bench to kiss me. We're sitting in the park on Saturday morning, enjoying the cool morning air as joggers and parents with strollers journey past.

"Thanks," I say sheepishly before continuing. "I think I'm finally starting to realize that I just have to accept my father for who he is. He's never going to be the dad I wanted growing up, but he's all I have."

"Neither of us grew up in functional families. I don't know my dad, and my mom…well, Tracey can be a real pain in the ass. And you, well, you didn't have your mom for much of your adolescence, and your dad is as flighty as they come. How did we end up normal?"

"Us? Normal? Are you kidding me?!"

"You're right," he relents, laughing. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you. That's why I brought you here. Nikolas offered me a job at the hospital. The money is good, and I wouldn't have to be on my feet."

"But you don't want to use your family connections to get ahead?"

"Exactly."

"You can do whatever you want. Sure, I'd prefer you take the job at the hospital because it'd probably be better for you and the baby, but I understand your dilemma. It's your call."

"How did I get so lucky to find you?"

"I'm the lucky one."

"I won't argue there," I giggle as a red ball crosses our bath, bouncing off Dillon's foot and rolling away slowly. He reaches down to retrieve it, looking for where it came from. Soon, a dark haired little boy bounces over and asks for the ball back.

"Morgan, I told you not to run off!" Carly scolds, jogging up behind him.

"I had to get my ball. Besides, they aren't strangers," he points out.

"Argh," my cousin mumbles as she musses her son's hair. "Hey, guys. Sorry about the ball attack there, Dillon."

"No problem. What are you playing, Morgan?" Dillon replies.

"Kickback with Jason and Michael. Mommy isn't very good, she keeps saying that she isn't wearing the right shoes," he complains, pointing at Carly's heeled sandals.

Dillon throws his head back and laughs. "I think she's right. What do you say I come play on your team for a little bit?"

"Yay!" Morgan shouts, yanking Dillon away from me and toward the grassy knoll where Jason and Michael were waiting. Looking over his shoulder with an exasperated grin, I wave to him before turning to Carly.

"How are you feeling?" she asks.

"Better today than a few days ago," I explain. "My dad knows. He reacted pretty horribly initially. Pretty much stormed out after making a big scene on the day we moved into the new house. Tracey had sent him over there when he came looking for me."

"Typical Uncle Luke," Carly mutters, rolling her eyes skyward.

"Yes, his reaction at first was pretty much his usual M.O., but then he did something that surprised me. See, I had another checkup yesterday, but Dillon couldn't go."

"You should have called me. I would have gone with you," she says with concern, an almost matronly inflection in her voice.

I wave her off. "Elizabeth was supposed to go with me, but when we got to the hospital, there was an emergency and she got called in. Since it was truly the last minute, I decided to just go by myself. When I got to the nurse's station to sign in, my dad was there visiting your mom. After I explained everything to her, Dad decided that he would accompany me to the appointment."

"He didn't!" Carly exclaims in shock. "That's priceless."

"He was amazing, Carly. It was one of the few times that I felt like my dad was there for me. The sense of wonder in his eyes is something I'll never forget. The only time I've felt anything near that was when I was in the hospital during the epidemic."

"Say what you want about your dad, but Luke is good in a crisis. It's the only time that he lets down the façade and allows his true emotions to show through. Seeing him watch over you during the epidemic was proof of that. I saw it when he was watching over Lucky after he took that bullet for Emily and Helena shot him. His strength when your brother was on life support is something I don't think I could have if it were my boys."

"I'm slowly starting to realize that my life will never be ideal. I was just telling Dillon that I have to make peace with who my dad is. I guess I have more than a lot of people, and I should be happy with that."

Carly nods knowingly. "I felt the same way about John," she explains, referring to her deceased father. "I hated almost everything about him, but he was still my father. In our own screwed up way, we loved each other. And thankfully, Mama found a way to forgive me after all the horrible things I did to her marriage to Tony. She gave me an entire family I never knew I had. Now, I have a great brother and a set of amazing cousins in addition to Sonny, Jason and the boys."

"Look at our boys," I muse, pointing my finger to where the boys are playing. Even Jason looks like he is having fun, grinning as Michael punts the ball toward Morgan. It falls between Morgan's outstretched arms, causing Michael to celebrate across from him. Dillon leans down and whispers into the youngest boy's ear, causing him to grin. Morgan picks up the ball and tosses it to Dillon, who kicks it high over Michael's head. Running backward, everyone watches as the redhead falls flat on his behind and collapses into a pile of childlike giggles.

"Nice kick!" Morgan shouts, slapping five with Dillon.

"No fair," Jason taunts, running toward Morgan and scooping him up into arms. Holding him high above his head, Jason turns in circles until Morgan pleads for him to stop. Dillon stands back and watches on in amusement.

Carly crosses the grass and looks at Jason with an arched eyebrow. Hands resting on jutted hips, it's clear that she's not happy. "You know that he is wearing new shorts, Jase. I don't want them to get ruined."

"Oh, hush it," Jason taunts, encircling his arms around her waist. He then weaves his ankle between her legs and wraps it around her smooth skin, pulling her down onto the ground in one swift move. She falls on top of him, causing them both to erupt into a wave of laughter.

Dillon looks up and smiles at me lovingly. Carly continues to writhe on top of Jason. "Let go of me," she pleads through her giggles. Finally, he relents and Carly peels herself off her husband. I watch her grin down at him, placing one of her heels firmly on his chest as she pumps her fist in triumph. The look on her face reminds me of how I must gaze at Dillon. He's my Jason.

"Ready to go?" Dillon calls as he bounds over.

I nod. "We're out of here, you guys. Have a good afternoon!" I call to the Morgan family.

"Thanks, you too," Jason yells back as they reignite their game of kickback.

"Bye," Carly shouts with a wave. Michael and Morgan throw a wave our direction before turning back to the game.

Dillon takes my hand as we walk the shady path back to the car. "My family can say whatever they want about Carly and Jason, but I really like them. The whole mobster thing aside, Jason is pretty cool. He's an entirely different person when he's with Carly and the boys. That icy visage seems to melt away when they're around."

"Yeah," I agree. "Jason is good for Carly, too. He makes her stop and think, and he loves her no matter what. With people from her past, Sonny and Alcazar, it always seemed like there limitations on their love. They only loved her if she was a certain way, but with Jason, he loves her unconditionally."

"Who would have ever thought that Jason and Carly would be a model for anything, let alone a relationship or family?"

"Do you think we'll ever be as happy as them?"

"I think I already am," he tells me adoringly.

"Could you be any cuter?" I laugh as he opens the door for me.

"So, what were you and Carly discussing so intently?"

"Our fathers. It was yet another area that my cousin had insight into."

Dillon nods knowingly but doesn't ask any more questions. I can tell he is nervous, though I'm not sure why. He is fumbling with the keys, looking at the steering wheel as if he is trying to make a decision. His hand starts to reach for something in the console but he quickly snaps his arm back. Shaking his head, he shoves the key in the ignition and brings the convertible's motor to life. I start to ask what that was all about, but he turns up the radio loudly. I know that something is running through his mind when does this, the class rock song's volume too loud for us to have a conversation.

He's silent for most of the drive. I don't know where we're going and I don't bother to ask. His mood has shifted, creating an awkward air in the car. Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I decide to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Closing my eyes, I left myself start to drift to sleep when the car suddenly lunges to a stop.

"Dillon," I chastise without opening my eyes. "You have to be more careful."

He doesn't answer and I soon hear the sound of his door slamming shut. My eyes fly open to find myself alone in the car. Looking up, I can see him running full speed around the car to my door. He yanks on the door handle and drops to the ground in front of me.

"What is going on with you?" I inquire worriedly. "You're really scaring me."

He remains silent as one hand slips inside his pocket. Hand still buried in the folds of his short, he props himself up one knee. I hear a clicking sound as he brings his arm up to my eye level. Staring back at me is an emerald-cut diamond engagement ring sitting on a bed of velvet.


	33. Chapter 33

"Will you marry me, Lu?"

"No," I reply unthinkingly. Automatically, my hands fly to my face, covering my mouth. I feel my eyes go wide as my heart flutters at my answer. I cannot believe I just told him no when everything in my heart is screaming at me to say yes. "Wait, that's not what I meant to say. Ask again."

"Lesley Lu, Spencer, will you marry me?"

"No," I repeat involuntarily. It's like someone else is controlling my mouth.

"Lulu…"

"I'm sorry. Ask again."

"No. You said twice," he says sadly. "I don't think I could handle a third time."

"Well, you know what they say, third time is a charm."

"Don't you think if you wanted to say yes, you would have the first time? It's okay, I understand, I thought you might feel like this was too fast."

"I didn't, I don't."

"Obviously you do," he retorts, obviously hurt. "And to think, I spent all this time looking for a ring. I must have dragged Lucas to ten stores because I had to find the right one."

"Dil, don't," I implore. "I love you."

"I know you do. Timing is everything. You'll find the words when you're ready."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Upset and disappointed, yes, but mad? No, not at all."

"I love you," I reiterate.

He smiles at me warmly, wrapping his arms around my neck and pulling me close to him. "I love you, too. Let's go home so you can prove to me how much."

Awhile later, we're vegged out in bed, wrapped in each other and the blanket. Dillon is absently rubbing my arm as he peruses the television guide in search of a movie. Once in awhile he'll murmur something, offering a title before rejecting it. He doesn't even wait for a response, he simply dismisses the film for one reason or another.

"How about _All About Eve_?" he asks, scanning the page with his fingertip. He shakes his head. "No, I'm not in the mood for Bette Davis. We could always go with _The Maltese Falcon_, though it's a little dark for my current mood. Audrey Hepburn is always good, _Funny Face _is on."

"That sounds good," I offer.

"Nah, that's not it either. Wait, here it is!" he exclaims excitedly. "_Barefoot in the Park_, I love that movie. Starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and written by Neil Simon, it doesn't get much better than that."

"I love that movie."

"And I love you."

"And I love that you love me."

"And I love that you love that I love you."

"Huh?" I shriek.

"I don't know," he laughs, flipping on the television.

"Dillon, I think I'm gonna be a lousy wife," I recite, mimicking Corie Bratter's dialogue. "But don't be angry with me. I love you very much – and I'm very sexy!"

"Very," he growls, kissing my earlobe as he tucks me into his arm.

I follow the plot line of the movie, hearing each line in my head before it is even spoken. I've seen this movie so many times that I can recite it by heart, but I feel like I'm watching it for the first time with Dillon. In fact, it feels like I've been doing a lot of things for the first time since we got together.

"This was a good idea."

"Yes," he agrees. "We needed tonight. With everything that's happened, it's been awhile since it was just you and me without any drama."

"Can you believe how far we've come so quickly?" I ask in disbelief.

"Two months ago, I never thought that I would even kiss you. I wanted to, but I didn't think that it would happen," he tells me. "And when I found out that you lied about Diego and Georgie, I wasn't sure that I would be able to forgive you. Then, you showed up and told me that you were having my baby, and I couldn't imagine living my life without you and our child. Everything that happened before that day didn't matter any more. I've never had that feeling about anything in my entire life."

"I was so scared to tell you. I didn't know if you could ever love our child if you were still in love with Georgie. Part of me was afraid that you two would stay married and try to take the baby away from me."

"I would never do that," he vows. "Even if we don't end up together at the end of all this, which I think we will, I will never even attempt to take this child away from you. And I won't let my family try either."

"I know that now. I guess I just let my fear overshadow any kind of rationality left in my body," I remark, staring blankly at the screen as the characters climb up all the stairs to the apartment. Suddenly, an idea flashes through my brain. "Dil, I'm going to go downstairs and call Carly. She wanted me to come by and check out a swing she had from Morgan that she was going to give us."

"Do you have to call her now?"

"I promised that I would call her earlier, but I forgot. I should probably do it now before I forget again. My thoughts are quite fleeting these days; it's pretty amazing how easily and quickly I fail to remember things lately."

"Fine," he relents, pulling his muscular arm from underneath me. "Hurry back."

I throw him one of my legendary smiles as I bounce out of the room. Skipping down the hall, I bound down the stairs in record time. I scoop down and pick up my jacket from where I discarded it earlier. Pulling my phone out of the pocket, I quickly dial Carly's number. "I need your help."

"What now?" she asks, half seriously.

"I have a plan."

"Never a good thing to hear from a Spencer but go ahead," she scoffs. Once I've explained the entire plan to her in detail, Carly agrees to act as my partner in crime. "I'll bring everything by in an hour. I'll have Jason find a way to get Dillon out of the house in the mean time."

"Great," I reply before punching the button to end the call.

Ten seconds later, I hear Dillon's cell phone blaring upstairs, and a few minutes after that, he appears downstairs. "I have to go meet Jason. He needs help setting something up for the boys, and apparently Carly thinks that it's important that we bond. I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I figured it would be important to you."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

"You're welcome," he says, kissing me on the forehead before grabbing his keys off the counter. "I'll be back soon. I love you."

"Love you, too. Be careful."

Carly is right on time, her arms full of supplies. "Do you have an idea how hard it was to get my hands on this?"

"You have no idea how much I appreciate this," I tell her, grabbing the basket out of her hand. Inside, I find Dillon's favorite dish from Kelly's along with two pieces of Mike's amazing apple pie. Max comes in behind her, holding a large box against one hip and a shopping bag in the other.

"Here you are, Ms. Spencer," he announces formally, setting the packages on the counter.

"Thanks, Max. Please, seriously, call me Lulu."

"Alright, Lulu," he replies warmly.

She smiles dismissively as she lays the contents of the bag on the table. Spreading the white sheer tablecloth over the surface, she quickly pops the two candles into their silver holders. I help set the rest of the table while Max pulls a painting off the large wall in the living room. I can hear Carly giving him instructions while I set the food out and pop my favorite disc into the stereo. Everything looks perfect in the kitchen, so I head to the front room to check on their progress.

Max is just putting the finishing touches on the room. A large screen is now hanging where the painting once was. Carly has set up a projector on the middle of the coffee table. It's an old contraption, like the reel-to-reel mechanism my grandmother years ago. Running my hand over the cold metal surface, I inspect the label on the film canister she'd brought along with the rest of the goods.

"Well, everything looks perfect," Carly says, hands on her hips as she looks over the room. "Anything else you need?"

I shake my head. "Thank you both so much for everything."

"Any time," she says, nodding to Max. He pulls out his phone and makes a call, telling Jason that it's all clear and he can send Dillon back.

"He's on his way," Max tells us.

"We're out of here," Carly remarks, hugging me quickly.

She's barely out of the driveway when Dillon shows up. It's amazing how quickly people can get across Port Charles. Sometimes it seems like we can travel halfway across the world in a half-hour.

"Hi, honey, I'm home," he bellows. I'm standing in the hallway, waiting for his reaction. "Oh, baby."

"You like?" I ask, turning in a circle to reveal the white satin nightgown I had changed into.

"Oh, yeah," he growls hungrily.

"Hungry?"

"Not for food," he moans, crossing the room and pulling me into a deep kiss.

"Yes, for food," I reply, yanking him toward the table. "Look, your favorite."

"What have I done to deserve this?"

"You fell in love with me," I answer. "And this isn't all of it?"

"What more is there?"

"You'll see. Eat first."

We enjoy the meal. Dillon is clearly happy to be dining on all his favorite foods, from garlic mashed potatoes and glazed baby carrots to Kelly's signature pot roast and honey wheat rolls. Sopping the last of the gravy with his bread, he smiles at me goofily. "Thanks, baby. This is great."

"Well, are you done?" He nods. "Then, come with me."

He hasn't seen the screen until now, and the look on his face tells me that I've done well. He touches its silvery surface, running his fingertips down the entire length. Looking over his should, he grins at me before jumping over to the projector. He plays with the knobs, turning the wheel and flipping it on and off a few times. Then, he spots the piece de resistance.

"No way," he muses. "How did you find this?"

"I have my sources," I reply mystically as I put the reel on its spool. "Sit down, lay back and enjoy the show." _Doctor Zhivago_ comes to life in front of us and for the next couple hours, we're lost in the love of Zhivago and Lara. As the last frame flutters over, Dillon is smiling at the screen, lost in the magic in front of him. His eyes widen when he sees what I had Carly arrange. The curator had added an extra frame with five words that would once again change everything: "Will you marry me, Dillon?"

"Yes," he whispers, kissing me on my forehead and then my eyelids. He moves down to my cheeks, laying a soft caress on both sides before capturing my lips in a kiss that I'll remember for a lifetime. "Yes, I will marry you."


	34. Chapter 34

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Dillon asks as he pulls me into his lap. Seated around the Quartermaines' living room, our family is looking at us, probably wondering what other tricks we have up on our sleeves. Only Carly knows what my news is, and by the coy smile she just flashed Ned, I am sure that she hasn't told a soul.

"Just say it and get it over with," Tracey grumbles, yanking the pillow out from behind my father's back. Next to her, Alan rolls his eyes while Monica looks blankly ahead.

"Are you having twins?" Skye asks hopefully, her skin radiating beautifully from the pregnancy glow.

I laugh and shake my head. "No, at least not that we know of…yet."

"Bite your tongue, Lesley Lu," my grandmother replies formally.

"Tell us!" Elizabeth insists as Lucky weaves his arm through hers. Nikolas smiles up at me hopefully before glancing over at Emily, who is seated to his right.

"Well, Dillon asked me to marry him last night," I begin.

"Congratulations, honey, that's great!" Aunt Bobbie cries, jumping to her feet to hug me. Lucas is a half step behind her before Dillon stops them.

"But she said no."

"You said no to my grandson?" Edward demands.

"Twice," Dillon tells the crowd.

"We decided the timing wasn't right," I continue.

"And then, Jason called. He had an emergency with the boys, so I had to go over them."

"What is the point of all this?" Tracey asks, clearly bored and annoyed.

I ignore her. "Meanwhile, I called Carly over to help me with my plan."

"Yeah because Carly's plans always work," Jason mutters sarcastically under his breath.

Carly gasps. "Hey!"

"_Anyway_, when I got home, Lulu had this amazing dinner waiting for me. My favorite foods, candlelight, the whole thing," Dillon goes on.

"My little brother, ladies and gentlemen, a true romantic," Ned comments.

"I'd even managed to track down an old film projector and a copy of _Dr. Zhivago_ thanks to one of Carly's sources," I chime in. "It was the first movie we ever watched together."

"How sweet!" Elizabeth and Skye cry in unison before looking at each other and giggling.

"And at the end of the movie, there was a final frame that asked a question that had been posed earlier in the night."

"You proposed to him?" my father asks. "That's my girl, way to take charge."

"And, what did you say?" Lucky prods.

"I said yes. Lulu and I are getting married," Dillon says.

Aunt Bobbie is on her feet again, rushing forward to hug us both at the same time. Lucas and Dillon shake hands as Alan claps him on the back. Monica and Skye hug me before pushing me toward Elizabeth and Emily. Before long, Dillon and I have hugged and been congratulated by everyone but our parents and Jason. Though not everyone agrees with our decision, they at least fake it for the time being. I'm sure that we'll be hearing from the Quartermaines on the issue later, but for now, they're at least attempting to be civil and supportive.

"Give her a little room," my father bellows, shifting the crowd back to make his way forward. He shakes Dillon's hand firmly. "You have the most precious gift I could ever bestow upon someone. You better take that responsibility very seriously."

"I do, Luke."

"Then, welcome to the family," my father grins before turning to me. I see Tracey move toward her son, unsure of how she should react. "Congratulations, Princess," Dad whispers. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I do, Dad. Thanks for being here."

"Well, even though I hate this, I'm going to try to do what you asked and be supportive," Tracey grumbles. She hugs Dillon quickly and flashes me her realest fake smile. "Congratulations, Lulu."

"Thanks, Trace," I call as she retreats toward the wet bar for a much-needed martini.

The crowd has started to dissolve into little groups around the room. Em and Liz are fawning over my engagement ring when Jason quietly approaches them from behind. "Can I talk to you?"

I nod as the girls politely move away. "I know that you don't know me very well, but I wanted to tell you congratulations. Carly really likes you, and tonight, I saw why. You don't stand down to my family, you stand firm and proud. I joined your family, and now you're joining mine. I'm looking forward to that," he says. I smile at him, fairly certain that this is the most words Jason has ever spoken at one time in his entire life. Then, unexpectedly, he hugs me tightly.

"Look at Jase," I hear Carly whisper to Bobbie behind me.

"Wow," her mother muses.

Jason lets go and gives me a crooked grin before turning to Dillon. "I know what girls like Lulu are like. I know the headaches, the troubles, the stress. Let me tell you, nothing will ever be as worth it as she is."

With that, he walks off. Not waiting for a response, he finds his way back to Carly, slipping his hand in hers as he stands stoically at her side. Edward burls up next, toting some line about a prenuptial agreement. I let the old man speak his piece for a few minutes before interrupting. "I don't want Dillon's money or yours. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I'll sign what ever damn form you want, just go away."

Skye applauds behind him. "Atta girl, Lu!"

"You're supposed to be on our side. Ever heard of loyalty?"

"She's heard of it. She just chooses to ignore you like the rest of us, Father," Alan adds as he hands his adopted daughter a chilled glass of water.

"No respect, none of you," Edward barks.

"Oh, Mr. Quartermaine, please calm down," Alice speaks up. "You don't want to have another episode, do you?"

This sets Edward off on another tirade, giving us all spiel about respecting your family and your employer. I pretend to listen to him while making faces at Lucky across the room. Finally, my brothers sweep in to rescue me.

"Lulu, I can't believe you kept this a secret," Liz cries as they approach.

Nikolas wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me away from the bumbling crowd and toward the foyer. "Let's get you some air."

"Thanks, guys," I tell them once we are out of the room.

"Any time, that's what we're here for," Nikolas tells me, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"Liz, come in here, you have to feel the baby kicking!" Emily exclaims from the doorway. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt family time."

"Oh, not at all," Lucky says. "Take my wife and my brother, let them feel the natural wonder that is the woman's womb. I need a minute with my sister."

Once we're alone, Lucky leads me over to a bench to sit down. "You look like you need a break. How are you feeling?"

"I'm overwhelmed and tired, but extremely happy."

"This is a big step, Lu. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"No, but how sure is anyone ever, Luck? We have some time before any of this is going to happen, so I will have the chance to get a little more used to it."

"You said that about the baby."

"You're not happy for me, are you?"

"I'm just worried. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I can't ignore it. I just want to protect you. You're my baby sister, and for a long time, you were the only family I could count on."

"And then you found Liz, right?"

"Yeah."

"I found Dillon. Just like you love Elizabeth, Carly loves Jason and Dad loves Mom, I love Dillon. I inherited the Spencer tradition of epic love," I tell him. "I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, and I love you so much for it. But I promise you, this is going to be okay. I don't know how exactly, but I'm sure that this is going to work."

Lucky stares at me smiling. "You sound and look so much like Mom sometimes that it hurts."

"Dad told me the same thing."

"She'd be happy for you, Lu. I know she'd be so proud. I'm going to be the things she can't."


	35. Chapter 35

It's been three weeks since Dillon proposed…or I proposed…we haven't really worked out the specifics behind the story yet. He doesn't want to admit that I turned him down (twice), and I don't want him to feel like less of a man because it took me asking to get a yes.

And now, on this unusually hot afternoon, we're sitting in the living room pouring over college paperwork. Dillon keeps shooting me dirty looks because I can't stop humming the latest Secondhand Serenade song. I pretend not to notice while simultaneously pretending to be interested in the course booklet he handed me minutes earlier. Truth be told, I could care less about what classes I'm going to take. School has never been that important to me, and having this child has certainly made it less. However, I know how much this means to Dillon, so I'm going to at least give it the old college try, pun intended, and see if I can make it through at least one semester at PCU.

"What about this intro to film class?" he asks without looking up from the catalogue in his lap. "I took it last year, and Professor Kearns was great. You'd love her. She has amazing taste in films."

"That's your major, not mine," I mutter as I flip to the English section. I've always been mouthy, maybe I can make use of my love of words. "I was actually thinking of taking some writing courses."

"Really?" His voice is cheerful, causing me believe that he approves. "I could see that about you. You love to talk, and you'd have a lot of personal experience to draw from."

I nod, running my finger down the printed list until I come across a class on creative writing for beginners. Jotting the number on a piece of paper, I listen as he goes on and on about a directorial workshop he wants to take. Finally, he takes a breath and realizes that I haven't spoken for quite awhile. "Sorry, I was really on a roll there. What else are you thinking of taking, babe?"

I shrug casually and read off the notes I'd made. "Creative Writing 1001, Introduction to Poetry and Modern Music."

"Sounds like a good start for your first semester. I'm going to take that workshop as well as a screenwriting class and a lit course," he notes before looking up at me. My eyes are closed, my head laying back against the plush velvet pillow on the couch. "You okay?"

"I'm a little bit dizzy," I admit.

"I'm going to go make you something to eat, maybe that will help."

"Okay, nothing with meat in it," I remind him. Meat is the latest thing to make me sick, joining artichokes, bananas, eggs, onions, peppers, pickles, nuts and sweet potatoes on the list of foods banished from our house.

"I remember," he whispers, kissing my forehead on his way to the kitchen. I can hear him banging away in the other room as I allow my mind to wander. Sleep quickly overcomes me, and I'm far gone by the time he returns. Gently, he shakes me awake, setting a grilled cheese sandwich and apple slices in front of me. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up, but you should probably eat."

I nod as he helps me sit up. Bleary-eyed, I munch away on the apple slices while he comes back in the room with a cold glass of milk. "Thanks."

"Is it helping?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm still dizzy. Give me a minute, I'm sure it will go away."

"If not, I want you to go to the doctor to get checked out."

"Dillon, I'm sure it's nothing. I'm probably just hungry and tired, like always."

"I'm not taking any risks with you or this baby," he warns.

I smile reassuringly. "I know, me neither. I just don't want to overreact every time I'm not feeling absolutely perfect." I manage to scarf down the entire sandwich and most of the apple. Once the last drop of milk has slid down my throat, the dishes vanish from my lap. A minute later, Dillon is back, perched at the end of the couch with my feet in his laps. Working my feet over, he massages them, generating a deep throaty moan from me. "You have no idea how good that feels."

Whatever he says in response is lost on me as my eyes once again flutter shut. I'm half asleep when I realize that his fingertips have stopped creating their magic, so I force myself to wake up again. "Sorry I keep falling asleep on you."

"It's okay, Lu. You need your sleep. Do you want to go upstairs?"

"No, I want to stay down here with you."

"I'll go up with you."

I smile mischievously. "Okay."

"You're bad."

"I know. You always had a secret thing for the bad girls."

"Georgie wasn't bad."

"And you're saying that I am?" I cry, faking hurt.

"Hardly."

"Well, I wasn't referring to her. I was talking about Sage."

"Sage. I haven't thought about her in awhile. What made you think of her?"

"I saw Georgie last night."

"You saw Georgie last night? You didn't tell me this."

My mind flashes back to the night before when I had run into Dillon's soon-to-be ex-wife at the pharmacy. I'd been out all day shopping with Liz, and she needed to stop by to pick up children's aspirin for Cameron. It seems I always run into her at the most inopportune time. Once again, our chance occurrences only remind me how small Port Charles can really be.

"_What are you doing here? Getting another pregnancy test?" _

"_Yeah, that's it," I retort, trying my best to blow her off. For Dillon's sake, I had promised to try not to pick a fight with the girl. However, her constant insults and disparaging looks were making it increasingly more difficult to do that._

"_So, Maxie told me that you're going to marry my husband."_

"_Yes, that's the plan. Look, Georgie, I know that we were never friends, but do you think we could avoid a public scene just this once?" _

"_I'm not creating a scene, I just wanted to say congratulations. You're well on your way to your first divorce. See, Dillon has a problem staying faithful. He cheated on me once with Sage and then again with you. You know the old adage, 'Once a cheater, always a cheater?' Well, that fits him to a T." _

"_My relationship to Dillon is different than the one you shared with him." _

"_Exactly, yours started out on a lie. You're already used to secrets." _

"_Actually," I shoot back, "I believe your relationship also started on a lie. Didn't you pretend to be dating him on the first day you met?" _

"_Th-that was different," she contends._

"_You're right, it was different. This time, Dillon was in love with me. I know that this is hard on you. I was in love with Dillon for months when you were still together. But you've moved on, you're with Diego now. Can't you just let us be happy?"_

_She smiles at me sadly. "You'll never be truly happy with Dillon, Lulu. I will always be the love of his life. I'm glad that you can handle being second best because I never would be able to."_

With that, Georgie left, and I eventually found Liz standing in line at the checkout. Even now, I can feel my blood boiling. Most of me is sure that she is just trying to upset me, but a tiny, insecure part of my heart is afraid that she'll end up being right. I know that telling Dillon everything she said will only make him upset. He'll be mad at her for saying those things and angry with me for not revealing it earlier. Instead, I simply decide to lie by omission.

"Nothing, I just saw her outside the pharmacy when we pulled up. She was already gone by the time we got to the door."

"Oh, good," he remarks, obviously relieved. "Speaking of Georgie, I actually have to meet her in a few hours. We're going over the rest of the divorce settlement with Ric Lansing."

I wrinkle my nose at the mention of Ric. "That sounds like no fun at all. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"It slipped my mind until now," he says. I'm not sure if I believe that, but since I just finished lying, I let it slide. "Truth is, she doesn't really cross my mind much these days." After that comment, I could care less if he is lying or not. With words like those, he can tell me anything he wants to.

"I love you."

"Well, I love you, too, but what brought that on?"

"Just times when you say lines like those, it reminds me how lucky I am to have fallen in love with such an amazing, gorgeous man."

By the time Dillon gets ready to leave, the rain is pouring down. I can hear water beating down on the roof as I lounge in our bed, wrapped only in a chenille blanket. His hair wet from the shower, a towel wrapped around his narrow hips while candlelight dances behind him. I admire his muscular back from behind as he pulls a fitted olive green tee from our dresser. Pulling on khaki shorts, he throws the towel at me so that it falls over my face. I laugh as he collapses on the mattress next to me. Reaching around, I steal one of his socks and hide it under the covers.

"I have your sock! Now you can't leave," I taunt.

"I can just get another pair."

"I don't want you to go."

"You have nothing to worry about," he reassures me.

"I know."

"Do you really know?"

"I know that you love me. That's all that matters," I say, throwing the sock at him.

"I do love you," he mumbles against my lips before kissing me. "And I love you," he echoes in a baby voice, kissing my stomach tenderly. My fingers find their way to his hair as I guide him up for another kiss. A clap of thunder rings out as the lightning ignites across the sky.

"It's really pouring out there. Be careful."

"I will," he promises, kissing me one last time. "I should be home in an hour. I'll call you before I leave to check on you. In the meantime, call me if you need anything."

"Love you."

"Love you, too," he replies with a wave. I listen to him hurry down the stairs and pull the door shut. As soon as he is gone, the house feels eerily empty. The silence is overwhelming as I snuggle underneath the comforter. I figure that if I go to sleep, he'll be home before I know it.

An hour later, I roll over and pull the blanket off my head. The room is still dark, the candle long burnt out. Squinting, I can see the clock blinking, indicating that we lost power at some point. It is pitch black as I reach for my phone, pressing the button to make the screen light up. It's past 10, and Dillon was supposed to be home over two hours ago. Checking my call log, I find that I don't have any missed calls from him. Pushing the button, I wait for speed dial to connect me to him. The line beeps rapidly; the storm must have knocked out the tower.

_Great, no power and no phone. I shouldn't be worried, he's probably on his way home or waiting out the storm somewhere. He'll be here soon_, I think, trying to convince myself that he'll be home soon. Another bolt of lightning breaks out, lighting the room around me, as I shiver. My phone rings out, playing a familiar tune.

"Baby, where are you?"

"It's Georgie," I hear a voice say, static intermittently breaking up the connection.

"Is Dillon okay?"

"No," her voice crackles. "Look, I'm in an ambulance on the way to General Hospital. There's been an accident."


	36. Chapter 36

"I'm Lulu Spencer, my fiancée was brought in," I nearly screamed at the nurse behind the reception desk. She tapped on the keyboard a few times before my aunt came running up behind me.

"Lulu, he's in here," she calls, grabbing my hand. Leading me down the hall, I can hear the faint sound of my heels clicking on the linoleum. The faces are a blur as until we come to the operating room at the end of the long corridor. Georgie is standing there, her pale face pressed against the glass. I don't even acknowledge her presence as Alan comes out into the hallway.

"Alan, what's wrong? Please, tell me," I cry, the tears streaming down my face at this point. Alan looks at me with the saddest expression I have ever seen, and instantly, I know that his news is bad. He takes my hand in his and silently leads me into the small room off to the side. Pulling the door shut, he helps me sit down and kneels until he is eye level.

"Lulu, Dillon was in a car accident. He was hit head-on by a drunk driver a few blocks from Georgie's house. He was taking her home when the man ran the red light. Dillon's car was stopped on a patch of ice, causing it to spin with more friction that normal. He has internal injuries and has slipped into a coma."

The rest of Alan's explanation is filled with medical terminology that I do not understand. Showing me a clipboard, he tries to explain the numbers and charts to me, but I can't comprehend what is telling me. I need him to boil it down for me, to tell me what he's not telling me. "Alan, is he going to die?"

"I hate to say it like this because I know it's the cliché, but the next 24 to 48 hours really are the most crucial. We're going to keep him under close observation for the next day, and then we'll make a decision what to do tomorrow."

I nod slowly. "Does Tracey know?"

"I just called her, she's on her way. She asked me to not do anything until she could talk to you," Alan replied. "He's stable for now, and we're going to move him into a private room in Intensive Care. I'll come out and get you when he can get visitors. You can stay in this room so that you don't have to be on your feet. Try to get some rest until I get you. I know that your body is going through a lot right now, but you need to try to stay as calm as possible for the baby."

"Thanks, Alan," I reply as someone softly taps on the door. Alan smiles at me as reassuringly as he can before scooting past my visitor. Elizabeth is at the door, dressed in her standard green scrubs. "Hi, Liz."

"Sweetie, I am so sorry," she tells me as she sits down next to me. I allow my sister-in-law to wrap her arms around me and draw me into the warmth of her maternal body. "I was in the E.R. when they brought him in. He's going to be fine, Lulu. I can feel it. Patrick is working on him, and he's the best surgeon GH has. And I'm in there, and you know that I'm not about to let him go anywhere. He's not getting off that easily."

I laugh softly. "Thanks," I manage through the tears. "I'm so scared. This entire time, we've been so worried about the baby. Dillon has been focused on keeping me healthy. I never even thought about having to worry about him. I just got him, Elizabeth, I can't lose him now."

"You just keep focusing on the good. Think about your wedding day and the day you will bring this beautiful baby into the world. Don't let the darkness come in, only the light. I have to go check on Dillon, I'm going to go with them when they settle him into the room. Just keep praying and know that I am with you."

I thank her before she strides out of the room, her mind already lost in the mission of doing her job. As the door is about to swing shut, a redhead comes ambling into the room. She doesn't say anything, she only reaches out and gathers me in her arms. Uncharacteristically silent, I'm waiting for her to start barking orders at the nurses and orderlies that litter the hallway outside Dillon's room. Pulling back slightly, I'm shocked by her sudden burst of emotion.

"I got here as soon as I could," Tracey says finally, beginning to pace the sterile waiting room. I watch her take step after step, staring down at her navy heels each time they strike the white tile. "Alan filled me in on everything."

I know that she is scared, I can hear the fear in each and every syllable. "It makes no sense but I'm angry at Dillon. If he hadn't been taking Georgie home, this wouldn't have happened. If he had just come home, none of this would be happening."

Tracey glanced at me, nodding knowingly. "I feel the same way, even though I know it's wrong. We should be angry at the driver."

"Trust me, I think that will come along in a few moments. Right now, I'm still in shock. I just want to see him. I want to hold his hand."

"Alan is doing everything he can to make that happen," Tracey reassures me. I thought she would argue with me, insisting to go in first, but she doesn't. Instead, she just focuses on a plan of attack for dealing with Dillon's recovery.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, Alan comes back into the room. "One of you can come in and see him. Visitors are limited to ten minute each, and he can only have one at a time. I want to keep it limited to immediate family only."

Tracey looks at her brother. "Thank you, Alan. I have one request, on behalf of Lulu and myself. I know that legally, Georgie is still married to Dillon. However, I don't want her to be allowed in the room. They are going through a divorce, and he's going to marry Lulu. I don't want her presence hampering Dillon's recovery or causing any undue stress on Lulu or the baby."

"I'll see what I can do," he nods before leading me out of the room. Looking over my shoulder, I mouth a silent thank you to Tracey before following him down the empty hallway. He swipes his card through the security keypad and we're soon outside his room. Georgie is sitting in one of the chairs in the hallway, her face hidden between her hands in her lap. As a volunteer at the hospital, she has access to the codes.

"What are you doing here?" I demand, stopping short of Dillon's door to stare down his ex.

"I have every right to be here. I am his wife."

Alan steps between us. "Georgie, I am going to have to ask you to leave."

"I am his immediate family," she argues.

"I don't care. I know the status of the relationship, and I have to power to prevent you from seeing him. I'm only allowing immediate family, which is Lulu, Ned, Tracey and Luke. I don't want to see you near his room again. The family has requested that you be kept away, and I have to agree with them."

"But…" she starts to disagree.

Alan shook his head firmly. "No, I don't want to hear. I am chief of staff, and what I say, goes. I don't care if you are working, you are not to be in this ward until I give you permission. I will keep you updated on his progression as the family sees fit," he tells her before turning to me. "Lulu, go in. Dillon is waiting for you."

I don't even say anything to Georgie as I walk slowly into Dillon's room. Alan pulls a padded chair next to his bed before leaving us alone. With tubes attached all over his body, he looks more like a bionic robot than the man I fell in love with. The monitor beeps its constant strain, the only thing that reassures me that he is alive. Cuts and bruises are apparent across his face and arms with dry blood caked on more than one of his wounds. Timidly, I reach for his hand. Leaning my head onto his chest, I listen to the familiar sound of his heartbeat.

"Dillon, I'd like to think that you can hear me," I begin. "I hope you can because I have a lot on my mind, and I'm going to sit here and tell you everything. I was so mad at you before I came in here, but seeing you, none of it matters anymore. Your mom is here, I wish you could have seen it. She was actually nice to me."

"You have to come back to me because I don't think I can handle her being nice to me for too long," I continue. "Do you hear me? You have to come back because we are about to start our lives together. I'm not going to let you go without a fight. I'm not going to give up, you can't either."


	37. Chapter 37

It's past three in the morning before I see Alan again. Asleep in a spare room at the hospital, he startles me when he flips on the bright fluorescent light overhead. Tracey is asleep in the bed next mine, the paper-thin blue blanket pulled over her head. We'd paced the hallway until midnight before Epiphany and Elizabeth had finally convinced us to get some sleep.

"Trace, wake up," Alan whispers, shaking his sister before sitting on the edge of her bed. I realize that he doesn't know that I'm awake, and I figure that he must be whispering for some reason. Keeping my eyes shut tight, I listen as she mumbles incoherently before flopping around on the scratchy hospital sheets.

"What, Alan? I just fell asleep. I've been awake for over 24 hours. This better be good," she barks. Her tone softens noticeably when it registers where she is. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired. Is Dillon okay? Is he awake?"

"No, he's fine. Dillon lost a lot of plasma, and we need to have the family tested for a possible match," Alan explains. "It's nothing to be alarmed about, I'm certain that one of us will be a match. I've just spoken with Alice, and she is going to wake the others to have them come. In the mean time, I'd like to start with you. Dr. Drake is going to take mine as well."

"Thanks," she replies. "Lulu, did you get that?"

"How did you know that I was awake?" I ask, sitting up in the bed with my brow furrowed.

"It's a mother thing," she retorts, sliding off the bed. "I'm going to go get tested. Why don't you try to get some sleep? I'm sure that you could use the rest."

I give her a half-smile and shake my head. "I think that I'm going to go down to Dillon's room. I'm sure that they won't let me in, but I'd like to at least check on him. I can't sleep without him anyway. Maybe I'll feel better once I see him for myself."

Tracey leaves, and I slide my tired feet back into the slippers Liz had managed to scrounge up for me out of a closet. My skirt and satin tank were long discarded, traded for a set of comfortable scrubs in a pretty lavender hue. All I needed was a stethoscope, and I would fit right in with the staff.

"Lulu Spencer to see Dillon Quartermaine," I recite into the speaker. The alarm buzzes for a moment before the two doors automatically swing open. Marching past an abandoned wheelchair, I pause at the desk to speak to the nurse in charge. I grin when I see my aunt's mass of red curls tucked over the computer screen.

"Hi, Lulu," she greets me. "You know that visiting hours are over. I'm not even supposed to let you back here, but seeing as he is a Quartermaine and Alan is who he is, I figured I could probably get away with making this one exception."

"Thanks, Aunt Bobbie. I promise I won't stay long, I just want to see that he's okay. I can't sleep, and I was thinking this might help."

"You have five minutes."

I nod and start down the hallway to his room. Most of the lights are off in the individual rooms, save for the occasional blue glare from a television or warm amber glow of a reading light. Dillon's room is dark, only the moon shining on his face. He looks so childlike in the bed, propped on a pile of pillows and encased in a mass of linens. Leaning against the doorframe, I watch the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Slowly, I make my way to his bedside, arranging myself in the recliner Alan had had brought into the room for me to sit in.

"Dillon, you're not listening to me, I told you that I needed you wake up," I tell his lifeless body. His eyelids move as if he is trying to open them, but I know that this means nothing. He could be dreaming or maybe it is just involuntary muscle spasms; either way, he doesn't respond. "I am going to spend every waking hour with you in this room until you wake up. I will eat, sleep, drink and live at General Hospital until you open those eyes and tell me to go home."

A few more minutes pass before a nameless nurse appears at the door to ask me to leave. I nod silently before placing a gentle kiss on my love's lips. With a quick wave toward my aunt, I disappear from the ICU and head back to the room reserved for us. Ned is leaning on the wall outside the room with Emily at his feet. Both look exhausted, the weight of the situation bearing heavily on everyone.

"Hey, Lu," Ned says, kissing me quickly on the cheek. "Mother is still in with Alan and Dr. Drake. We're up next, and Monica should be along any minute."

"You're not even actually related to Dillon. Why are they testing you?" I ask Emily.

She smiles. "I volunteered. I figured that it couldn't hurt to at least try. You never know who is going to be a match. Skye is also coming, she should be here with Monica."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that," I tell her as Nikolas comes down the hallway, holding two bottles of water.

He smiles at me warmly, quickly handing the plastic containers to Emily. "How are you holding up?" he asks with a hug.

"I'm holding up."

"Do you want me to go get you something? Water or hot chocolate? Anything you want, you just name it."

"Do you think you could find me some chamomile tea? My stomach is upset; maybe it will help settle my nerves."

"I'll be right back," he tells me, kissing Emily on the cheek on his way past. She blushes lightly, causing me to smile to myself. It's nice that they still fluster each other, even after all they have been through.

Alan comes out of the room, rolling his shirt sleeve down. "Next victim," he jokes humorlessly. Ned goes into the room, shutting the door on his way out. A nurse comes down the hall, asking Alan to come over for a private conversation.

"So, how are you really feeling?"

"I'm tired," I admit. "My appetite is pretty much gone, but other than that, I'm okay. Alan just let me go into to see Dillon, so I feel better than I did. It helps to be near him."

Emily nods in understanding. "I felt the same way when I had cancer. It helped to have Nikolas there. Even when I had given up hope, just knowing that he was there made me felt like I would never be alone."

Nikolas returns as the door once again swings open. Tracey comes out, her eyes tired and her skin pale. She doesn't say anything, she just sinks to the ground, her legs flailing out in front of her. Giving me the thumbs-up sign, she disappears into the room, a beeping sound coming out of the slightly open door.

"How'd it go?" I ask the older woman.

"Fine," she replies shortly, tiredly. "You need to get some sleep. Maybe you should go back to the mansion or to Wyndamere to rest."

"I'm not leaving him, Tracey," I warn her. "Don't push me."

She puts her hands up in front of her chest. "Fine, I'm too tired to argue with a Spencer. At least go lie down in the waiting room."

"That's probably a good idea, Lu," Nikolas tells me.

I nod, allowing him to pull me to my feet. "Please come get me if there is any change."

"I will," she promises.

Nikolas guides me down the hallway to the warm waiting room. Mostly empty, he leads me to a couch and points sternly. I drop into the deep fabric, throwing my legs across its entire length and snuggling my head into the fluffy white pillow he had managed to retrieve from a passing laundry cart. Spreading the blanket over me, he picks up a magazine and begins the long process of keeping vigil over me.

I'm nearly awake again when I hear a familiar voice. "Where is she? Where's my sister?"

"Lucky!" I yelp, tossing the blanket on the floor on my way to catch my brother. His eyes are dark and anxious as he jogs toward me. His embrace immediately makes me feel better, a comfort that no one else could provide. Brushing away my blonde hair, he looks down at me with brotherly concern.

"You look exhausted, Lu. Why aren't you asleep?"

"She almost was until you showed up," Nikolas comments from where he is still sitting.

"Come on," he insists, dragging me back to where I was sitting.

I shake my head firmly. "I want to stay up and talk to you."

"Don't argue with me," he counters. Sitting on the end, he pulls me down with him. Laying the pillow across his lap, he convinces me to lay back and rest. He strokes my hair in such a way that it reminds me of a very specific moment in my life. It was less than a month after my mom had her breakdown, and I had the worst case of the flu. My dad was out of town, and Grandma Lesley was visiting friends out of state. Lucky was staying with me, and when I got sick, he didn't know what to do. I could tell, even at my young age, that he was scared, but he tried his best to hide it from me. When my fever had spiked, he spent hours telling me stories about being on the run with our parents, all the while stroking my hair. It kept my mind off how sick I felt long after the fever had fallen. And before I know it, I'm asleep again.

By the time I wake up again, it is light outside, and Lucky is the one who is asleep. His head against his chest, he is snoring softly. Nikolas is asleep as well, his body situated awkwardly in two hard plastic chairs. I smile at the sight of my brothers, knowing just how much they love me. "Wake up," I plead, shaking Lucky's shoulder.

"Hmph," he mumbles. His eyes open and shut a few times as he arches his back, reaching his long arms high over his head. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine, I feel a lot better. I'm going to go see Dillon now, I just wanted to let you know so that you didn't wake up and freak out."

"Alright, I've got to get to work anyhow. I'll have my cell on me all day, call me if you need me. I'll check in with you around lunch to see what was going on and see if you want anything," Lucky tells me.

Nikolas stands up, rubbing his dark eyes with his hand. "I should get home too. Emily went there to stay with John, but I need to go look in on him. I'll bring you fresh clothes when I come back. Do you need anything else?"

"No, just clothes would be great," I reply. "Thank you both so much for being here. You have no idea how much it helped to have you both here to support me. I love you."

"We love you, too," Lucky said, pressing a hard kiss on my forehead before Nikolas hugs me. With a salute from Lucky and a small wave from Nikolas, they head off in one direction as I nearly run the other way.

Tracey is running full speed toward me when I get to the corridor outside Intensive Care. Her eyes are lively as she stops, out of breath. "He…is…" she gasps.

"He is what?" I scream. "He is what?"

"Awake. He's awake."


	38. Chapter 38

"Dillon Quartermaine, what the hell were you thinking?" I declare as soon as I get into the room. His blue eyes are sunken but full of life as they fall upon me. A slightly mischievous smile curls his lips upward.

"Hey," he whispers hoarsely, trying to sit up. I press against his shoulder softly, guiding him back toward the bed. He reaches up and catches my hand, placing a gentle kiss on each of my knuckles.

"How do you feel?"

"I've been better," he replies as Alan comes into the room. "My uncle here tells me that I'm in for quite a long recovery. I've always tried to be an over achiever, so maybe this'll be when that part kicks in."

"I need to talk to you both," Alan says, not even acknowledging his nephew's weak attempt at a joke. "While I am very glad that Dillon woke up, he has a long road in front of him. I'd like to schedule him for surgery first thing tomorrow. He has severe damage to one of his lungs and moderate damage to the other. We need to repair some tissue."

Dillon looks up at me expectantly, as if he wants me to give Alan permission to cut open his own body. "Okay, let's do it," I tell the doctor.

He nods firmly. "From there, we'll assess the rest of the process. I'll also have a physical therapist come into talk to you about the rehabilitation you're looking at. I'm sure you will be meeting with specialists as well, but until I know for certain what I'm dealing with, I'm going to hold off."

"Alan, am I going to live?" Dillon asks, fear in his voice.

The man smiles warmly. "I think as far as that goes, you're out of the woods. You're just beginning your recovery, but I expect you to fully recuperate by the time we finish this process. Until then, I'd like you to get some rest. Lulu, you have fifteen minutes."

"But," I start to argue.

"You heard the man," my fiancée interrupts. "Besides, I'm guessing you haven't been home since I got here, which means you haven't been eating very well. You need to go home, eat a decent meal, take a hot bath and get some rest. I don't want us to have to look into a family discount when they put you in here for exhaustion."

"Okay," I relent. Dillon is beaming at me. "Gosh, do you have any idea how much I missed you? I was so scared I was going to lose you, baby."

"I can't go anywhere," he tells me. "My life is just beginning. I don't want to have it all happen without me."

"Your family has been amazing. They all came in to get tested, and your mom hasn't left. If she wasn't watching over you, she's been with me. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I don't know that I could have gotten through this without her."

"She told me that you held up pretty well," Dillon murmurs, rubbing his thumb across my wrist.

"I was focused on this moment, the moment when you came back to me. I had to trust that it would happen because I knew that I couldn't do all this without you."

"I'm kind of glad to hear that," he teases. "I want to make sure you realize how much you need me."

"Needing and wanting are two different things."

"Truer words were never spoken."

"I'm brilliant like that."

"I love you," he tells me suddenly, a comment totally unprovoked and unrelated to anything we were discussing.

"I love you, too."

"Are you still going to marry me?"

"I am."

"When?"

"When you can walk up the aisle with me."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

A few minutes later, I'm escorted out of the room on Dillon's assistance and put into the back of a waiting town car. Whisked away to the Quartermaine mansion, I don't even begin to protest. The adrenaline is starting to wear off and my body is crashing. Alice is waiting at the door when I arrive, tucking me into her substantial bosom with a bone crushing hug. "Ow, Alice."

"Sorry, Miss Lulu. I'm just so excited to see you and to hear that Mr. Dillon is going to be okay."

"Thanks, me too," I smile.

"I've made up Dillon's room. You can go on up. Just call down on the intercom if you need anything, and I'll bring it to you."

Slowly, I make my way up the stairs. My body is heavy from the exhaustion. As I head down the hall, I notice Tracey's door is slightly ajar. Light floods into the hallway, soft conversation floating in the air. "I know I give her a hard time, but she was amazing through all this," she says.

"I saw how much she loved him," Ned replies.

"I fought it in the beginning, and maybe if this hadn't happened, I might still be fighting it. But now, I'm convinced that they are right for each other."

"Well, aren't you turning into a softy in your old age?"

"Shut up, and you better not tell anyone."

"Too late," I announce, pushing the door open.

She tries to scowl at me but fails. "Are you sure you're a Spencer? Snooping is a Quartermaine trait."

"Oh, yeah, I'm a Spencer. I don't think anyone could ever deny it."

We exchange a mutual look, both understanding the weight of what has transpired between us. The power has shifted, and she has accepted it. No longer the most important person in Dillon's life, she has recognized the place of where we are and where we will be.

"I'll leave you ladies to it," says Ned, patting his mother's hand affectionately on his way out.

"Tracey, I just wanted to thank you for helping me get through all this."

"Dillon is my son. Of course I would be there."

"It was more than that. You've changed toward me."

"Believe it or not, I'm glad that Dillon found his way to you," she admits. "I had accepted his relationship with Georgie, but I knew it wasn't right. She was all cotton candy and lollipops and bubble gum. You're a spitfire. You've driven Dillon to grow up, to want more for his life. I couldn't get him to do in 20 years what you've managed to get him to do in a few months."

"I have to give credit where credit is do," I remark. "That was all Dillon. He found the house and decided to take the ELQ job. He was helping me find classes the day of the accident. He is the one that made me realize that we could have a life together. You should be proud, you've raised an amazing son."


	39. Chapter 39

"You have to come back to me," I whisper, stroking the tanned skin on his face tenderly as Epiphany preps him for surgery. Dressed in what has become his signature fashion choice over the past few days, a turquoise dressing gown, he smiles at me weakly. He starts to open his mouth to speak, but the anesthesia is already doing its magic. His eyes flutter a few times before falling closed for good. Leaning down, I press my lips to his temple.

"You can walk down with him," Epiphany says as Patrick Drake comes in to talk to me. Tracey is close behind, escorted by Ned. She looks like she has aged considerably in the past week, but her resilience still shines through.

Patrick starts to speak, looking straight at Tracey. She quickly interrupts him. "You need to speak to my son and his fiancée, Dr. Drake. They're the ones calling the shots here."

"Right, sorry," he apologizes. "Dillon, this surgery is complicated but fairly routine. It will take a few hours, but you'll be completely asleep. You won't feel a thing. We've gone over the procedure, but do you have any questions?"

Dillon shakes his head before looking at me. "No, we don't," I answer. "Tracey?"

"Are there any risks, Dr. Drake?" Ned asks.

"With any procedure, there are always risks. I will tell you that I have performed this operation many times, and I haven't lost anyone yet. I don't intend to let your brother be my first. I know the Quartermaines are a family to be reckoned with."

"Damn straight," Dillon managed, eliciting a laugh from everyone in the room.

"Alright, if that's all, let's rock and roll," Patrick declares, flipping down the side rail.

Tracey moves to Dillon's bedside, leaning down to whisper something in his ear. I'm not sure what she says, but Dillon smiles and nods his head. Ned is next, patting his brother's shoulder affectionately. "We'll see you on the other side."

The surgical team moves in and lifts him into the gurney. Once the guardrails are snapped into position, we're swiftly making our way to the appointed room. He's wheeled past the waiting room where the rest of the Quartermaines and most of my family fill the plastic chairs. Emily leads the roaring applause and boisterous cheers that echo throughout the corridor. Dillon manages to hold up his arm and wave weakly. The team doesn't stop as we soon find ourselves stopped outside the room.

"Stop," Patrick orders. "Let's give them a minute of privacy."

Dillon looks up at me bleary-eyed. "This is it."

"You remember what I said earlier. You have to come back to me."

"I will always come back."

"I love you."

He reaches up and grabs my hand. "I love you, too" he mumbles before he gives into the exhaustion.

Those are the last words he says before he falls into the deep peaceful sleep. I watch through the windows for a moment until Epiphany pulls the shade shut. Alan comes out and guides me back to the waiting room. "You can't watch. This is going to be a long day for you. You need to sit down and rest."

Lucky is the first to reach me when I get to the waiting room, but I barely notice him when my eyes fall on the older man standing next to him. "Dad," I utter, completely shocked. It was the first time he had made an appearance in my life since the doctor's appointment. My brother laid his arm across my clavicle, squeezing my shoulder in support.

"I'm sorry that I didn't come sooner."

"It doesn't matter," I decide. "It only matters that you're here now."

Tracey paces behind the long couch, muttering to herself. Emily eyes her aunt, hoping that she's okay, before she turns back to her conversation with Nikolas. Carly is next to Jason, leaning her head against his shoulder while he flips through the business section of the _Herald_. Skye is happily crocheting a soft pink blanket, and Elizabeth is working on a stack of charts. I smile at the group, feeling blessed that I have so many people to support us.

"Come on my little pink popsicle, let's go for a walk," my father says, laying an open palm on the small of her back. Leading her toward the empty hallway, they become immersed in a deep conversation as they disappear out of sight.

Lucky looks at me and smiles, trying to give me all the courage he has. "How are you holding up, Lu?"

"I'm doing great. The risks are minimal, I have a feeling that everything is going to work out perfectly," I answer. "My feet hurt, but other than that, I have no complaints."

"Is this a Spencer only conversation or can a Cassadine join?"

"I guess we can make an exception just this once," Lucky says with a laugh.

"I just wanted to see if maybe you wanted to get some breakfast."

"That sounds good actually," I admit. "But I don't want to go too far in case something happens."

"Liz volunteered to stay here. She needs to finish up paperwork. We should only be a half-hour, and she said that she would call my cell if something came up."

"Sounds good," Lucky says. I can hear Kelly Taylor talking to Brandon Walsh on the television monitor overhead as we pass by the nurses' lounge. About ten steps later, my legs give out. I buckle over in pain, cramps consuming my abdomen. "Lulu!" he screams.

"Something's wrong," I cry, wincing and doubling over again. He rushes to my side, falling to his knees to help me. Nikolas takes off in the opposite direction, yelling for Dr. Lee.

"Close your eyes, Lu," Lucky whispers, running his fingers across my hair. "Close your eyes and focus on good thoughts." An image of our mother flashes through my mind and brings me the peace I know I'll need to get through this.


	40. Chapter 40

Lucky is carrying me down the hallway toward Dr. Lee's office by the time I become fully coherent. Trailing behind him, I can hear Liz exchanging medical terminology with my obstetrician while Nikolas silently follows. "What's going on?" I ask my brother. "What is wrong with my baby?"

"There's nothing wrong, you're going to be fine," he tries to promise me, but I can detect the worry in his voice. "How are the cramps?"

"They're still pretty intense," I answer, wincing as he stops to push open a door. I close my eyes and try to relax. The pain is relentless.

Dr. Kelly begins to speak as soon as I'm laid on the table. Elizabeth assists her, quickly setting up the machine. She sends my brothers out of the room. They reluctantly leave, but not before looking at me worriedly. In fact, everyone seems concerned, only adding to the stress. My doctor soon notices. "Lulu, you have to relax."

"Lu, honey, listen to the doctor," Elizabeth tells me, sitting down next to my head. She takes my hand in hers and tells me to focus. "Look at me. Talk to me. Tell me about how you are going to decorate the nursery."

"I can't," I whimper.

"Talk to me," Liz demands in her best motherly voice.

"Well, Dillon wants to do the baby's room in old movie posters from the 40s, but I vetoed that," I say, educing a laugh from my sister-in-law. "We finally agreed on just keeping it with basic colors until we get an idea of the baby's personality."

"Okay, Lulu, I'm going to do the sonogram," Dr. Kelly tells me. A knock at the door interrupts. "I am in the middle of something right now. Whatever it is, it will have to wait."

"It's me," I hear Tracey say.

"Let her in," I tell Elizabeth. She gets up and opens the door for Dillon's mother. The woman looks down at me fearfully. I know she is thinking that she could lose her child and her grandchild in one day. I know the though of losing my baby and my fiancée at the same time has crossed my mind.

Elizabeth looks at Tracey. "Sit here," she orders, pointing to her now-abandoned stool. "Keep her focused on anything other than what Dr. Kelly and I are doing. She needs to be relaxed, so talk about something positive."

"Lulu, when today is over, I am going to take you for a long weekend at the spa," she begins. "I know that it might be a little too close to bonding for either of us to stomach comfortably, but I think we could both use a vacation from reality. We could do the whole thing – massages, body wraps, mud baths, whatever you want."

"That sounds like heaven. We could go to the mineral springs upstate. I remember Aunt Bobbie going up there with my mom when I was younger."

"Oh, yes, I've heard wonderful things about that place," she continues. "And I was thinking that maybe we could have a baby shower for you in a few months. We could invite all the Quartermaines as well as your family and close friends."

"This is going to be cold," Dr. Kelly warns as she begins to roll the ball over my slightly rounded stomach. It's the first time that I realize just how much my tummy has grown from the pregnancy.

I close my eyes and try to relax as she continues to perform the test. Reading a series of numbers to Elizabeth, I can't decipher what they are discussing. A few medical terms are tossed between the two, words I still don't understand. After a few minutes, they finish up and shut down the machine. Dr. Kelly does a series of touch tests, pressing carefully on different parts of my abdomen. Elizabeth draws a vile of blood and disappears to take it to the lab for processing. Once she has returned, Dr. Kelly helps me sit up and begins the explanation process.

"Lulu, your body is going through severe stress right now, and these cramps are its way of rebelling," she tells me. "It has been pushed beyond the conditions it can handle in your pregnant state. I'm putting you on mandatory bed rest for the next seven days, effective immediately."

"No, not happening," I shoot back automatically. "I am not leaving this hospital until I know that Dillon is okay and I get to see him. I'm sorry, but I have to refuse."

"Lulu, don't you think that Dillon would want you to get the rest if that is what Dr. Kelly is recommending," Elizabeth tries.

"I don't care what you say, you're not going to change my mind. Liz, you wouldn't leave if it was Lucky, and I know that Dillon wouldn't leave if it was me. I am staying until I see my fiancée."

Tracey looks down at me. "What if we set her up in a double room with Dillon? She can rest until he gets out of surgery, and they can be together once he wakes up."

Dr. Kelly grimaces. "I'd rather she goes home, but since this might be the only compromise she'll make, I guess we'll have to do it."

"I'll go speak with Alan right now," Tracey says. Elizabeth tells me that she will go tell my brothers about everything, and I wait for another nurse to come take me to the other room. A few minutes later, my aunt shows up to take me down the hall to our assigned room. Carly is with her, and I am glad to see my cousin.

"What were you thinking freaking yourself out like that, Spencer?" Carly asked as Bobbie and the team of orderlies roll in the gurney. I feel ridiculous over all the fuss everyone is making, but I know that this is for the best.

"You know how I am, go big or go home," I joke.

"We're going to move you now," Aunt Bobbie tells me. "Lift on my count," she says to the team. "One, two, three, lift." I'm lifted off the table and placed carefully into the bed. Dr. Kelly returns with pain medication, two red tablets in a shallow plastic cup. Tilting my head back, I swallow them down my throat with a swig of water.

"Just like a tequila shot," Carly laughs.

"How's Dillon doing?" I ask, finally voicing the question I was hoping someone would answer without me having to ask.

Carly smiles reassuringly at me. "He's still in surgery, but Monica came out a few minutes ago to let us know that everything is going according to plan. Ned and Emily are down there with Skye. One of them will come let us know when he is out."

Tracey comes bursting in the room with Lucky and Nikolas behind her. "Alan assigned them to room 221. He said you could take her down any time."

"Okay," Bobbie replies. "You heard the lady, room 221. Only one non-staff person can ride in the elevator with you, Lulu. Who do you want to go?"

I don't want to answer, well aware that even this question causes undue stress on my body. Thankfully, someone answers for me. "I'm going," Lucky announces.

"No, I am," my father says from the doorway.

"No, Lucky is," I reply.

"I'm your father," he counters.

"She doesn't need stress!" Bobbie and Tracey exclaim in unison.

Bobbie looks at her brother. "Lucky is going with her. You are going to go downstairs with Carly and Tracey, and you're going to wait until I come get you. Nikolas, you go down to fill Emily and the others in."

"Thanks, Aunt Bobbie," Lucky says as he takes his place. Gripping his hand tightly, I focus on my brother's eyes, the ones that comforted me throughout my childhood and several times since. "See, I told you that everything was going to be fine, Lu. When have I ever steered you wrong?"

"You haven't," I agree as they wheel me onto the elevator. "Lucky, I have to tell you something, and I want you to be the first person to know."

"What's that?"

"After Tracey left to go talk to Alan and Liz went to fill you guys in, Dr. Kelly came back and told me the baby's sex."

"Shouldn't you wait to tell Dillon first?"

I shake my head. "It's a boy, Big Brother. Lucca Spencer Quartermaine is on his way."


	41. Chapter 41

\It's exactly two hours later when Tracey comes in. Her face is much brighter than the last time I saw her, all concern vanished from her eyes. She smiles at me comfortingly as she comes to my bedside. Lucky is still there, scanning the morning's edition of the newspaper. He exchanges a look with our stepmother and then excuses himself, spouting some line about needing coffee. Throwing me a quick glance over his shoulder, I quickly wave him off so that we can be alone.

"How is he?" I ask instantly.

She smiles and bobs her head happily. "He's fine. Monica just came out to tell us that they are sewing him up now, and that the surgery was a success. They won't know much more until he wakes up, which they don't expect to be for at least another hour. She assured me that they'll bring him down within a matter of minutes."

"I can't wait to see him," I tell her, struggling to stifle the yawn stirring in my chest.

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" she asks. "So much has happened in such a short time. Seems to be the themes of our lives lately, doesn't it?"

I nod. "The other theme of my life lately seems to be thanking you. If it hadn't been for you today, they probably would have made me go home. Thanks for getting Alan to let me stay."

"It's what Dillon would have wanted. Well, it's what he would have done. He would have wanted you to go home, but if it was him, I know you were right. He would have argued with me or rebelled. Besides, it was just easier for me if you were here. That way, I could see both of you if I was worried."

"Careful, Tracey, I might start to think that you like me," I laugh.

She smiles at me and shakes her head. "We wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Not at all. By the way, is my dad still here?"

"Yes, he's downstairs waiting with the others. Lucky and Bobbie pretty much banished him from coming anywhere near your room until you were ready. He tried to argue, but I reminded him that this was about you and not him. I think it might be the first truly selfless thing I've ever seen him do."

"He has his moments. I'm ready to see him any time, actually. Lucky made me take a nap, so I got over an hour's sleep. We also had quite a talk, and I'm feeling much better about a lot of things where my father is concerned."

"Alright, I'll go down and get him then," she says. "I should probably go down there anyhow. I'll be back when they bring Dillon up."

"I'll be here," I tell her with a smile. Lucky is waiting patiently outside the door when she goes to leave. She holds the door for him to come back in. "Hey, stranger."

"I heard her say she was going to get Dad. Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I'm sure, but you are more than welcome to stay and moderate if you would like. In fact, it would be greatly appreciated."

"Yeah, like I'm actually going to leave you alone with Dad in the hospital. The last time I was in here and he bothered to actually show up, he pulled me off life support."

"Lucky, I think that was a little different. Besides, he did it because he believed that you could survive on your own."

"It wasn't his life to gamble with," Lucky reminded me. "And he should have consulted Elizabeth before doing it. I seriously doubt you'd want him making a choice for you without asking Dillon."

"Point well taken."

"Hey, Princess," my father calls from the doorway. "Hello, Cowboy."

"Hey, Dad," Lucky says, flopping back into his chair.

There's no where else to sit, so my father stands at the foot of my bed. Cool and collected Luke Spencer is nervous, shifting his weight from one side to the other. "So, um, how you doin' here?"

"She's fine. She slept for awhile earlier," Lucky answered for me. I scowl at my brother, silently berating him as he is forever treating me like a child. I am perfectly capable of answering for myself, but Lucky will always be the most protective person in my life.

"That's good. Are you feeling any stronger?"

"Yes, like Lucky said, I'm fine."

"Sorry I asked," he grumbled.

"Why did you ask? Why are you even here? You're pretending to be the concerned parent, but I haven't seen you in weeks. In fact, since you took me to the last appointment over a month ago. I thought that maybe you had changed, that my baby had inspired you to turn over a new leaf. I guess I thought wrong. You'd think I learn, but I always get my hopes up."

"Maybe you should go," Lucky said, standing up.

"No, he can stay," I reassure him. "I'm fine, Lucky. He's not getting me upset. I'm just tired of the same old routine. Dad, this is it. Lucky and me, we're your family. Other than Aunt Bobbie, Carly and Lucas, we're all you got. If you don't want us in your life, then why do you come back to Port Charles?"

"I do want you in my life. I just don't know how you have you in it," my dad admits.

"Then you need to figure out a way," Lucky chimes in. "We can't keep putting ourselves out there only to get hurt. I can handle it, so can Lulu. But our children, Cam and this baby, they're innocent in all this. I don't want you to come in and out of their lives like you have ours."

"I should go," he says, echoing Lucky's declaration earlier.

"If you leave now, don't bother coming back," I whisper, biting my lip to prevent from crying.

My father looks down at me, his eyes shining with tears. It's the first time I've ever seen him cry over something not related to my mother or death. I know that my words have hurt him, struck a chord in his seemingly loveless heart. "You can't mean that, Lesley Lu."

"I have to, Dad. I have someone else to think about other than myself."

"I'm sorry I've failed you," he says to me before gazing at my brother. "I've failed you both. More times than I can count, I've left town without telling you. Lucky, at least you had me for a little bit, but Lulu, I've never been there for you. You didn't have anyone. Dammit, I know that I'm a horrible father."

"I had a lot of people. Grandma Lesley and Aunt Bobbie were always there to guide me, always. Nikolas was there to make sure I had everything I wanted, and Lucky was there to protect me and listen to me. I didn't go without anything except for you, Dad. Just because you weren't there doesn't mean no one else was."

He's crying now, sending both Lucky and me into shock. I struggle to sit up. My body feels heavier than normal, but I manage to elevate myself into a semi-comfortable reclining position. Reaching my hand out, I grab a hold of my father's jacket and pull him down to me. Wrapping my arms around him, I embrace him close to me. Over Dad's shoulder, I catch Lucky's eye. He's crying too, now. "Come here," I mouth. He walks over and sits next to me on the bed. Soon, the three of us are caught up in an uncharacteristic Spencer embrace.

"Well, this is something I never thought I would see," Jason retorted from behind us. My father and brother pull back immediately, wiping their tears as to not appear weak in front of Port Charles' favorite mob enforcer. Only I am not ashamed to cry in front of him. I simply smile.

"Jason, nice to see you as always," I greet him.

He nods, his steel blue eyes beaming at me. "Carly sent me to check on you."

"I see Caroline has you by the, well, you know, as always," my father jokes.

Jason laughs heartily. "No, I just let her think that. Besides, I am on Quartermaine overkill. I love my wife, but too much family togetherness is starting to get to me."

"See, Carly does have you under her thumb," Lucky ribbed.

"Oh, like you don't do everything Liz tells you to," I remind my brother. He opens and shuts his mouth a few times without saying anything. He can't argue – he knows that I'm right.

"Dad, can you go down and check on Dillon for me? Tracey said he should be up in a few minutes, but that was awhile ago."

He nods and leaves. "Lucky, I'm hungry," I tell him, hoping to get rid of him as well.

"I'll go down to the cafeteria and get you something. Be back soon."

Jason sits down in the chair and tilts his head back against the wall. Closing his eyes, he sighs loudly. It's probably the most distressed I've ever seen him. "Thanks for getting them to leave. I came up here hoping to hide out."

"I kinda sensed that."

"I figured that I could use you as a good excuse."

"That's what I'm here for."

We exchange smiles. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Tired of having everyone ask me that, but other than that, a lot better."

"I know the feeling. After the accident, people I didn't even know would ask me how I was feeling. I didn't recognize anyone, so I guess that encompasses just about everyone," he comments. "By the way, Dillon should be up in the next five minutes. I knew the answer when you sent your dad away, but I figured we could both use a break."

"You figured right," I retort.

"You know, I like Dillon. I've never really gotten to know him, but I've always liked him," Jason tells me. "Other than Emily and Monica, he is about the only other one I can stand most days. He didn't really know me all that well before the accident, so he doesn't have the same expectations as the others. Sure, he's a little weird, but he's a good kid."

I laugh at his last comment. "Well, that's good. Otherwise, I would have had to tell Carly that you were up here hiding from her, too."

"Nice threat, Spencer," he laughs. I wish that everyone could see Jason as I see him in this moment, totally relaxed and at peace with the world. Then, in the next breath, we're both jarred as a flurry of action enters the room. Nurses, orderlies and doctors file in to escort Dillon to his final destination. Bobbie barks orders at the staff, directing people where to stand and where things should go. Once everyone has their directions, she slips around to check in on me.

"Jason, what are you doing up here?" she asks in shock, hands balled into fists on her hips.

"Hiding from the Quartermaines," he admits with a shrug.

"Ah," Bobbie murmurs knowingly. "Well, Dillon is here now, as you may have guessed. Patrick will be in a moment to fill you in on all the specifics, but I can tell you that the surgery went according to plan. There were no complications."

"That is so great to hear!" I cry in relief, clapping my hands together. "How much longer do you think it will be before he wakes up?"

"Probably 45 minutes or so, maybe less," she answers. "Why don't you try to rest in the mean time?"

"I will," I promise. "That is, if this room ever quiets down."

"You heard the lady," Bobbie bellows. "Everyone out. That includes you, Jason."

"Actually, Jase can stay. He needs the peace, too."

"Fine, but no one else comes in."

"Actually, I sent Lucky to get me something to eat."

"I'll tell him I ordered no visitors in your room."

"Fine," I reply as she ushers the last nurse out in front of her. She waves and closes the door. The constant beep of Dillon's machine provides me with comfort as my eyelids draw heavy. Jason is already back to his catatonic state, eyes closed and head against the wall. I take advantage of the quiet as I know it will be the last all three of us have for quite some time and allow myself to drift away into a much-needed serene sleep.


	42. Chapter 42

The room is black when I woke again. The full moon shines through the blinds, the beams highlighting the tiled floor. Once visiting hours were over, Patrick had chased the visitors out of the room. Tracey had protested, and Edward had made his usual threats. Eventually, Emily had convinced them to go home. Since then, I'd dozed on and off in hopes that Dillon would wake up.

And he did wake up for a moment. While I was taking a catnap, our night nurse said he woke up, looked around and fell back asleep. Patrick reassures me that he is recovering well. After all the trauma, his body has exhausted itself. Like my cramps, the incessant sleeping was his body's way of reacting to the events that had transpired over such a short time.

I felt restless in the uncomfortable hospital bed. They'd tried to make it as comfortable as possible for me, replacing the sheets with better ones from the Quartermaines' and a stack of extra pillows. Still, it wasn't my bed, and I'm not in Dillon's arms. Defeated, I crawl off the mattress and headed for the window.

Carly had once told me that Sonny would stare at the water when he was feeling suffocated. If it could provide him with comfort, maybe it could lend me some peace of mind. Resting my head against the glass surface, I placed my hands on my rounded belly. Rubbing gently, I hummed a soft melody to my baby while watching the waves crash on the shore in the distance.

"You look beautiful," I heard him say.

"You're awake," I whisper back. His eyes are open and for the first time in two days, he is fully focused on me. "Dil, you're awake."

"I told you that I always come back," he reminded me as I quickly shortened the distance between us. Grabbing his hands, I place a kiss on each of his knuckles. He smiles up at me. I know the look, it's one of wanting. Leaning down, our lips meet. Electricity radiates through my body, and I'm thrilled that we still have that kind of connection.

"Do you know how hard it is for me to not crawl in that bed with you?"

"There's plenty of room," Dillon says as he starts to move. He winces in pain and shakes his head. "Never mind, I think I should probably do this one alone."

"It's okay, just having you awake is all that I need."

"All you need?"

"I don't think you're allowed to do that for a few weeks," I laughed. "I should go get one of the nurses. They told me to page them when you woke up."

Dillon grabbed my hand as I started to walk away. "Please, can we just have a few minutes alone?" he pleaded.

"Two minutes and then I have to get them. I want them to check you over to make sure that everything is okay. And there is something else I should tell you before anyone else does."

"What happened, Lu?"

"When you were still out of it, I had some trouble. They rushed me to Dr. Kelly's office, and she examined me. Your mom was really great through all of it. She and Lucky took turns watching over me through this whole thing. Anyhow, they want me to get plenty of rest. I'm on bed rest for the rest of the week."

"Oh, Lu. Why aren't you at home?"

"I had to be here with you. I couldn't leave you. Tracey got Alan to put us in a room together. I have a clean bill of health. My body was just worn down from the stress and exhaustion."

"Baby, I am so sorry that I put you through this."

"It's not your fault, and even if it was, it's all in the past now. I'm fine, and you're going to be fine. We're still in love with each other, and we are going to have this amazing baby. That's all that matters."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"I learned it all from you," I tell him, kissing him on the forehead. I let go of his hand to reach past him. Pressing the button on the wall, I wait for the nurse to answer my page.

"Nurse's Station."

"Dillon Quartermaine is awake. Can you page Dr. Patrick Drake to notify him please? Also, page either Alan or Monica."

"Right away, Ms. Spencer."

I roll my eyes at Dillon. "I'm not sure that I could ever get used to all the formality that goes along with being in your family. Alice is one thing, but even the hospital staff addresses me formally now. I think Tracey yelled at everyone in the entire hospital when she was trying to get our room ready."

"That's my mother for you. Can you call her for me?"

"Of course. Anyone else I should call?"

"She'll tell the rest of the family."

"I'll call my family, too. I should probably call Georgie as well."

"I forgot about Georgie. She was with me. How is she?"

"She's fine. A few minor cuts and bruises, but other than that, she walked away unharmed."

"That's good," he said absently as he shifted in the bed. "Call her if you want, I really don't care either way."

"Yes, you do, Dillon, and that's okay. She was there, and she has been worried. I'll call her after I call our families," I promise as Dr. Drake slips into the room.

"Excuse me, Lulu, can you give us a minute? I need to ask Dillon some questions and perform an examination."

"That's okay. I need to go make a few calls," I tell him as Alan comes in.

"You can use the phone in my office," Alan says.

"Thanks, Alan," I say, patting his shoulder on the way back. "I'll be back soon."

"Be careful," Dillon warns as I shut the door quietly.

Heading down the hallway, I feel like I'm floating on air. My body is lighter than it has been since this whole thing began. It's such an exquisite release. Nodding at a security guard posted outside Alan's office, I swipe his keycard through the scanner and let myself into the private room.

I dial the Quartermaines' number from memory. Alice answers, her voice slightly hoarse from sleep. "Alice, sorry to call so late. Can you wake up Tracey for me?"

"Sure, hold on a second, Miss Lulu," she tells me.

I listen to the silence as she places me on hold. A few seconds later, Tracey picks up her extension. "Lulu, is everything okay?"

"It's perfectly fine, Tracey. Actually, it's better than fine, he's awake."

"Thank God," she gasps in relief.

"Dr. Drake and Alan are in with him now. He's tired, I'm sure he'll sleep the rest of the night. He told me to tell you thanks for everything and that he will see you first thing in the morning."

"Okay, I will tell the others. Please tell Dillon that Ned and I will be there early tomorrow. And tell him that I love him."

"I will, good night." Pressing the button, I wait for the dial tone and dial Lucky. Relaying the same story, I ask him to call anyone else who might be interested in knowing, especially Carly and Jason. Our phone call is short, and he promises to come by tomorrow to check on me. After telling me that he loves me, we end the conversation before I make the final call. I flip through Dillon's phone to find her cell number and wait for his cell to connect us.

"Dillon?" she inquires groggily.

"No, it's Lulu. I just wanted to let you know that he is awake. He's being checked over now by the doctors. You can come by tomorrow to visit him. We're sharing a room, so I will be there. If you don't like it, don't come by."

"Okay," she replies.

"That's all I have to say. Sorry for waking you up."

"Lulu, thanks for calling."

I hang up the phone and head back for our room. Dr. Drake is speaking quietly to Alan when I come upon them. The question comes from my lips immediately. "What's wrong?"


	43. Chapter 43

"Lulu, we didn't see you there," Alan says to acknowledge my presence. The older man smiles at me affectionately and wraps his arm around me. I know that he feels some kind of fatherly connection to Dillon because he has always been the only man that has semi-consistently been in his life. His paternal feelings have been transferred to me in the weeks since we announced my pregnancy.

"What's wrong with my fiancée, Alan?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Nothing, Dillon is actually doing much better than we had originally anticipated. While we won't know anything for certain until we get results back from the lab, things are looking very good. The internal injuries he sustained in the accident should not be long term, and he is healing very nicely from the surgery."

"We're looking at a very long road of physical therapy," Patrick explains. "I expect he will be in the hospital for at least three weeks."

"Thank goodness," I sigh with relief. "I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure he makes a full recovery. I will be by his side through every step of the process."

"You need to consider your own health. You have to take your own exhaustion into account. After tonight, I am going to send you home. You will stay with the Quartermaines until Dr. Kelly takes you off bed rest," Alan commands.

I start to protest but realize he's right. "Okay, thank you. It's probably best that I not be alone, and it will nice to not have the house empty while Dillon is here. But will I be able to come see Dillon? I can't go five days without seeing him, Alan."

"I have talked to Dr. Kelly, and she has agreed to let you spend an hour a day here. I know you will want to argue, but that is actually quite lenient of her considering your status."

Grinning, I'm thankful that his family has grown to know me so well. "Fair enough. Can I see him now?"

Patrick nods. "He is very tired, so make sure he gets some rest. If he has any pain or needs anything, feel free to page a nurse. You can also call me on my cell phone if you need anything. My shift is over, but I will come in if you want."

"Thank you both," I tell them before disappearing into the room. Dillon was propped up, looking at a film industry magazine that Alice had smuggled in to me via Emily. The dim fluorescent lamp over his bed was the only light in the room. "Hey, stranger."

"Hey, so the doctors tell me I'm going to live," he jokes with a wide grin.

"That's what Alan just told me. They also told me they're kicking me out of this joint tomorrow. After that, I'm being placed on mandatory bed rest."

"You're going to be home by yourself?"

"No, I'm moving in with your family, of all things. Alan basically demanded it, and I think he's probably right. Alice will take care of me, and I won't be alone or bored."

"So I won't be able to see you for a week?"

"We get an hour a day together, and that's it," I explain.

"That's more than enough if it means you are going to be healthy. I don't think I could take it if you got any worse. One of us needs to be strong right now, and it looks like it's going to have to be you."

"You're strong too, Dillon," I reassure him, crossing the room. He presses a button on the remote, giving himself a shot of morphine from the drip.

"I will be again, I promise. And if you give me about five minutes, this medication should kick in and you can crawl in here. I need to hold you."

"That'll be nice," I sigh as I push the armchair to his bedside. Resting me head against the rail, I look into his eyes and feel a sense of home wash over me. "I called everyone. Your family will all be here in the morning, and I told Georgie that she could come by to see you. I'm sure my family will all come by too."

"You're letting Georgie come by? Are you sure?"

I nod. "She's not a threat to me. I was angry at her at first, trying to blame her for the accident. But talking to Jason yesterday, I realized that it's not her fault. It was the other driver's fault. You've told me you love me, you asked me to marry you. Nothing she can do can take that away from us."

"You are such an amazing woman, what have I done to deserve you?"

"You forgave me. I should be the one asking you that." He yawned and smiled sleepily. "You are tired, you should get some rest."

"I'll sleep better with you in my arms," he told me. "The meds have kicked in. Come get in here next to me."

I helped him arrange the tubes and wires so that I wouldn't be restricting any of his connections to the complex machinery. Sliding down the side rail, I climbed onto the bed and snuggled next to his side. Our fingers found each others and rested on his chest. Placing my head on his shoulder, I listened as he drifted away. The last thing I remembered that night was counting his heartbeat before drifting to sleep.

The next morning, true to her word, Tracey came to the hospital. We were still asleep, carefully entwined in each others arms in the bed. She shook me gently and grimaced at me when my eyes opened. "You better get out of there. Dr. Drake is on his way."

"Oh, thanks," I mumble, my eyes falling closed again. Shaking my head, I force my brain to focus and my eyes to reopen. "Dillon, wake up," I whisper, shaking his shoulder gently.

"Hmm?" he murmurs, still half asleep.

"I have to get out of bed. Patrick is coming."

"Okay," he mutters, disentangling his fingers from mine. I lean over and kiss him tenderly before leaping off the bed. Heading back to my own bed, I muss the blankets and flatten a pillow to make it appear that my bed had been used the night before. Patrick comes in just when I'm finished.

"It's too late, Ms. Spencer. I'm already aware of last night's sleeping arrangements," he chides. "Your night nurse told me this morning. She said that she had checked on his connections and that everything was okay. If it had not been, she would have wakened you. Thankfully, you were careful."

I turn beet red and avoid his gaze. "I'm sorry. I knew better."

"It's okay, I understand. You needed last night. Now that it's over, you know the rules." I shake my head in agreement as he goes over to check Dillon's charts. "You too, Mr. Quartermaine."

"Look at her, she's beautiful. Can you blame me?"

Patrick's signature grin spread across his face. "No, I can't say that I do. Your numbers look good. Your lab results were right where they should be. I'd like to start your physical therapy tomorrow."

"Sounds good, I'm not going anywhere."

"Alright, I will schedule you an appointment for the morning so that you will be available for Lulu's afternoon visit. If you need anything, page me or a nurse."

"Thank you, Dr. Drake," Tracey says as she walks the doctor to the door. They speak quietly for a few minutes before he leaves. Sensing they need a moment alone, I make an excuse about needing to call Carly and head out of the room.

As I'm going to Alan's office, I bump into Carly in the hallway. "Hey, where are you off to?" she asked cheerfully.

"I was going to call you, actually. Why are you here?"

"To see you, sweetie," she chirps, hugging me. "Are you supposed to be out of bed?"

"It's fine, I promise. Tracey is in with Dillon, and I wanted to give them some privacy."

"Oh, well, have you eaten breakfast yet?" I shook my head. "Why don't we head down to the cafeteria and grab a bite? I know the food isn't the best, but they make a mean pancake."

"Sure, I have some time to kill. Ned and the rest of the Qs are supposed to come by anyhow. They'd probably like to spend some time alone with Dillon."

"You're glowing this morning," she comments as we step into the elevator.

"He's doing really well, so much better than we could have expected. I know that he's still in pain and we're looking at a lot of physical therapy, but he's doing great."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Jason said he came up to talk to you yesterday. Was everything okay?"

"He just needed a break. Actually, we both needed a break."

"Okay, I just didn't know if I was driving him crazy."

"I think he'd just had enough. You know how he is."

"He hates crowds, I should have known," she sighs as the elevator dings. The doors open to reveal the cafeteria. I see Bobbie and Elizabeth eating in the corner. Smiling and waving, we quickly make our way across the room to talk to them.

After a few minutes, Bobbie receives a page and looks at me in concern. "It's Dr. Drake. He wants me to find you and have you come up immediately."

"Oh, no," I whisper, feeling faint immediately.

Carly looks at me knowingly and says, "It's okay, Lu, I'm sure everything is okay. We'll come up with you."

"Yeah, it's probably nothing," Elizabeth agrees, slinging her arm around my shoulder.

The air is hot in the elevator, leaving me feeling stifled and clammy. It doesn't move between floors quickly enough. Bobbie reaches over and squeezes my hand. I want to scream but remain calm for my child's sake. Rubbing my tummy self-consciously, I'm relieved when we finally arrive on the floor. I take off running when the doors part, despite the pleas of my family behind me. As I get to the room, I see that the lights are off. Now, I'm really worried. Looking both ways, I don't recognize anyone. Figuring I'll go inside and page Patrick, I push open the door and flip on the light.

"Surprise!"


	44. Chapter 44

"Surprise!"

I laughed as I stepped into the room. In the corner, Carly pulled the chain on the light hanging over my bed. She grinned as Michael and Morgan jumped out from behind a chair. Jason was posted next to them, smiling his shy smile as Lulu looked around the room. Lucky, Elizabeth, Nikolas, Cameron and the baby were huddled in a corner while half the Quartermaines lined one wall. Tracey was perched on the edge of my bed with Skye situated comfortably against the headboard. From his bed, Dillon clapped his hands, happy that his surprise had worked.

"Wh-what is this?" I ask as I look at everyone. My gaze finally finds Dillon. "You did this, didn't you?"

"Guilty as charged. I had a little help from a friend," he replies, nodding his head toward Alan. "Mom and Alan thought it would be fun if we had a little surprise engagement party here in the hospital."

"Not exactly the most conventional or romantic thing, but it's absolutely perfect," I gush. Making my way across the room, I kiss my fiancée deeply before spotting a pile of gifts in the corner. "Presents!"

"She used to have the exact same reaction when we were kids," Lucky laughs. I hear the door open behind me. Turning slowly, I'm surprised to see my father enter the room with Bobbie on his arm. Wordlessly, I let go of Dillon's hand and hug my father. I don't make a big deal of his presence; I act as though it is the most natural thing in the world. However, it means more to me than anything that he is there. As I turn around and catch Tracey's eye, I know that this is her doing. _Thank you_, I mouth to her. She simply nods in return.

"Open mine first," Liz insists as she pulls a bright red package from the bottom of the pile. Handing me the box, I sit in the chair Ned has situated next to Dillon's bedside. Pulling off the silk white ribbon, I eagerly tear away at the paper. Discarding the trash in the bin, I laugh when I find the contents to make something chocolaty. Hidden in the accompanying envelope, I find the recipe for her infamous brownies.

"Liz, this is perfect."

"I've always found that that recipe is the cure for anything. It might seem like the smallest thing, but it has really gotten me through some hard times."

"Thank you. Your brownies are amazing, and I love it."

She smiles as Bobbie hands me another package. This one is small and square-shaped. "This is for you, my darling." Opening it, my breath catches in my throat. I know exactly what it is as soon as my fingers brush over the soft material. Unfolding the white linen cloth, tears come to my eyes.

"These were…"

"They were Ruby's. Her mother gave them to her, and she gave them to me. Now, I'm giving them to you."

I hug her tightly, knowing how much this moment means to the Spencer women. Lucky and Nikolas come up as soon as I pull away and hand me a gift bag. "We didn't really know what to get you, but I somehow knew this would make you smile," Lucky tells me.

"I didn't really get it, but Lucky assured me that you would love it," Nikolas adds.

Pushing away the tissues away, I find a camping lantern. Immediate, I start to giggle. Only Lucky and my father could ever understand why it was making me laugh. "You didn't get the chance to be a part of that adventure, so I think it's time that you take your family out and have a few of your own."

"Thank you, I love it," I tell them both as they hug me simultaneously.

The rest of our families hand me gift after gift. We receive a beautiful blanket from Skye, matching crystal champagne flutes from Carly and Jason, an expensive bottle of champagne from Michael and Morgan for a post-baby celebration, a couples massage gift certificate from Emily, an antique Quartermaine armoire from Alan and Monica, a transplant of Lila's roses from Alice and a weekend trip Upstate from Ned. Tracey timidly steps forward to hand me her gift, a simple cream envelope. Handing it to Dillon, his fingers tremble as he carefully tears away at the flap.

"Mom," he whispers. I watch his eyes move across the page, surprise apparent in his eyes. "Wow."

"What is it?"

He hands me the paper. My jaw drops. "Tracey, I can't believe this."

"It's nothing," she mutters, not wanting any recognition for her kindness. In her delicate handwriting, Tracey has written us a check for our honeymoon. A honeymoon in Paris, just like Dillon and I had dreamed about weeks before.

Dillon struggles to sit up. "Thank you, Mom."

"Like I said, it's nothing."

I take the hint and simply nod her way. If she doesn't want it, I won't push it on her. Edward and my father are the only ones who haven't given us anything. I don't expect anything from my father, and Edward is already making his way forward. He hands me a box, a small white cardboard box. "Here are two things that you need." I look at him, trying to think of what could be inside. "Quit trying to guess, my dear, and just open it. Together."

I crawl onto the bed next to Dillon. He smiles at me warmly as I take the lid off. Inside are two things that I certainly did not expect. "Grandfather, what did you do?" Dillon gasps as he takes the two small contents and holds them in his palm. One is a key and the other is a ring.

"That ring was your grandmother's. She wore it from the minute I put it on her finger until the day she died. I talked to Tracey and Alan, and they both agreed that you should have it. When they heard my reason, I don't think they really had any reason to object."

"What was your reason, Edward?" Bobbie asks curiously.

"Lesley Lu looks at Dillon like Lila used to look at me," he replies. A peaceful silence falls over the room.

"And what is the other thing?" Skye asks, breaking the moment.

"That is a key," Jason answers. Everyone is surprised to hear his voice. His blue eyes meet mine, telling me not to let myself get sucked in. I wink to acknowledge that I understand, and he nods once firmly in reply.

"A key to what exactly?" Carly pipes up, leaning forward.

"To a Mercedes to replace the one that drunkard ruined," Edward rants.

"Grandfather, I can't."

"I insist."

"Thank you, Edward," I whisper, hugging him tightly. I didn't get to thank Tracey, so I give him double attention. He allows it for a moment before pulling away. Clearing his throat, he smooths out his suit and walks away. "Thank you all. We both really needed this. And I want to thank you for your support – not just during this difficult time but also throughout this whole pregnancy. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"I have something," my father says behind me. I ignore him, thinking it was a simply an instance of wishful thinking. I start to say something, but then he interrupted me. "Lesley Lu Spencer, I have something for you."

I turn around and see the small box he's holding out. Taking it in my palm, I turn around and face Dillon. The warmth in his eyes reminds me that everything will be okay if I keep looking at him. Flipping off the lid, I immediately find my body shaking with tears and laughter. Pulling it out, I reveal an ice fishing lure. Lucky laughs softly, his blue eyes twinkling. I throw myself into my father's arms. I don't care how uncomfortable it makes him.

"It comes with a fishing pole too," he remarks, causing me to break out into another fit of giggles.

"What is so funny?" Tracey demands.

"Ice fishing is sort of their thing," Lucky answers. He comes over and pats my father affectionately on the shoulder. My father pulls him into a hug, squeezing me tightly between them.

As my brother pulls away, I notice Dillon yawn. "Tired?" I ask worriedly. He starts to shake his head but yawns again. "I'll take that as a yes. You need to get some sleep."

"We should leave them alone," Bobbie announces as she begins ushering the family out the door. Goodbyes, hugs and thank yous are exchanged until we are finally alone again.

"Finally, peace again."

"Did you have fun?"

I nod happily. "I have to leave pretty soon. They're going to kick me out of here."

"Come here."

"What?"

"Just come here." I crawl into the bed next to him allowing him to wrap his free arm around me. I feel safe in his embrace, at home in his arms. "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go, but I have to."

"You need to," he whispered, dropping a kiss in my hair. "I love you."

"And I love you."

"Do you know what makes me want to get better?"

"Our baby and marrying me?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not what I meant. It's not what makes me want to get better the most."

"What then?"

"You asleep in my bed at the Quartermaines. I sort of have this fantasy, you see."

"A fantasy? You're not supposed to get too excited, mister."

"Shut up," he shot back. "We could be quiet, my family would never hear."

"Maybe, baby, someday."

"You tease."

I laugh as he pulls me into his body. As we settle into the pillow, I hear a light tapping on the door. He mutters under his breath as I sigh deeply. "Come in." Georgie pushes the door open. Her face falls when she sees me in bed with Dillon. I start to get up but he grabs my wrist. "Georgie, can you come back? Lulu has to go home to be put on bed rest, and I'd like to spend every minute with her until then."

"Uh, um, sure. I'm volunteering for Maxie anyhow, so I'll be around."

"You didn't have to do that," I tell him once she is gone.

"I wanted to," he reassures me. "I've told you all along that you are the one that matters, that this is my life now. I guess it's time I started proving that to you. Is there anything I can do to show you that?"

"Just hold me, Dillon. Hold me and promise that you'll never let me go."


	45. Chapter 45

By the time night falls, I'm tucked in the back of a dark town car on my way to the Quartermaine estate. "Take the long way home," I tell the driver as he passes the harbor. My mind drifts back to all the times that Dillon and I had stood on the docks, contemplating something as frivolous as what movie to watch that night to as life-altering as my pregnancy. Light reflecting off the dark water, I think of all the moments that Port Charles' favorite residents have spent on those old wooden planks. It is a place of secrets, of loves lost and found, of firsts and lasts.

As the sleek car makes slips through the black gate, my cell phone rings from my bag. Pulling it out, I smile to myself as I flip it open to answer it. "Baby."

"Hey, Lu. I miss you."

"I just left you, how is it possible that we already miss each other?"

"I always miss you when you're gone."

"That's so cheesy," I giggle.

"But it made you smile."

"You're right, it definitely made me smile. You just seem to have that effect on me. One minute I think I'm doing just fine, and then you come along and remind me what I'm missing out on."

Dillon breathed into the other end of the phone, a small laugh echoing over the line. "I just wanted to call and tell you good night. I hope my family doesn't drive you too crazy. Know that I am thinking about and dreaming about you every minute we're apart."

"It's things like that that make me fall in love with you all over again."

"Well, do me a favor and always let yourself fall."

"I will," I reply before hitting the end button. The driver comes around to help me out of the car, throwing my bag over his shoulder as he leads me to the front door. Alice is already waiting when we slip into the foyer.

"Miss Lulu, welcome home!" she cried, crushing me against her body.

"Hey, Alice," I manage.

"Mr. Dillon's room is already ready, per his request. He called me a few minutes ago to make sure that I had prepared it for your stay."

"Thanks, Alice." I grab my bag from the chauffer and head up the staircase. A small navy candle is burning by his bed and a vase of fresh lilies is in the window sill. All of the small touches that make Alice a great addition to the Quartermaines are presented and accounted for.

I start to pull my clothes from my bag, hanging shirts in his closet. There are still a few articles left over from when we moved. He had kept a few things there just in case we ever had to stay there. Spreading out the contents of my makeup bag on the dresser, I notice a half-empty bottle of his cologne on the corner. Inhaling deeply, it's nice to have a little part of him with me.

Looking around the room, curiosity starts to get the best of me. Pulling open his dresser drawers, I find that most of them are full of linens or old clothes that he doesn't wear anymore or remnants from his childhood. However, the bottom drawer gives me what I want, an array of personal mementos of his life with and without me.

There is a long letter, handwritten, from Georgie. I notice it's her handwriting right away and shove it back to where it came from. Pulling out an album, I expect it to be full of photographs of their life together. However, I am surprised to find picture after picture of me. Goofy in some, unaware in others, the collection captures the many different parts of my personality. As touched as I am by the book, it can't even begin to compare to what I find next.

I wasn't sure what it was at first, a thick stack of papers attached by three silver clips. As I start to scan the title page, I realize that it is a screenplay written by Dillon. Titled "Her Father's Daughter," I know immediately that I am the subject of this piece. Shutting the drawer, I grab the manuscript and snuggled under the covers. Reading the story of my life by candlelight, I become consumed with the world that his words paint. For the first time, I see how Dillon fell in love with me. I see the journey of our relationship through his eyes.

It's after three when I turn the last page. It ended with such a serene scene, something I have literally dreamed of many nights. It's a warm spring day, and we're walking hand-in-hand down a shaded street. Pushing the baby carriage in front of us, we're both content. The resemblance between the scene and my dream is enough to send shivers down my spine.

By the time I wake up the next morning, the manuscript is still in my lap. As soon as I see the white paper, I feel the urge to talk to Dillon. I leap off the bed and jog across the room to retrieve my cell phone. Hitting the speed dial button, I wait anxiously for it to connect.

"Good morning," I hear a female voice chirp.

"Put him on the phone," I remark shortly.

"Oh, hi, Lulu. How are you?"

"Put him on the phone."

"Is that Lu?" I can hear Dillon ask. "Give me the phone."

I listen as the phone transfers hands. "What is she doing there?"

"Georgie came by to bring me some stuff that accidentally got mailed to her address for school. I'm sorry she answered my phone, but I was eating."

"It doesn't matter, Dillon. I just hate that she can be there, and I can't. I'm sorry I reacted so childishly."

"Don't worry, baby," he sings to the tune of the Beach Boys' song, causing me to giggle.

"I have a confession to make," I tell him. "I did some snooping in your bedroom, and I looked through your bottom drawer."

"Oh, you did?" he asks.

"You wrote a screenplay about me."

"I did."

"I get why you fell in love with me now. I finally understand it. I wish I could see myself the way you see me."

"You're amazing, Lulu. I've tried to tell you that a thousand times before, but you never seem to get it. That screenplay was me working through exactly how you make me feel. I love **you**, no one else. Just you."

"I know, I finally really know."

"Don't forget it."

"I won't. I'll be there soon. Make sure she's not there, I want to be alone with you."

"I will. I love you."

"Love you, too," I repeat as we end the call. Tucking the manuscript back in the drawer, I quickly shower and dress before heading down to the dining room for breakfast. As I step onto the landing of the staircase, I hear the familiar sounds of the Quartermaines' daily morning argument. Monica and Edward are bantering with Ned and Alan about what kind of bagels they should have delivered. Monica and Edward want wheat and cinnamon while Ned and Alan would prefer garlic and blueberry. Skye interrupts them all, saying that any talk of garlic makes her nauseous. Emily adds that they should probably finish the eggs before Cook returns. She gets especially angry when her signature dishes go cold because of the family's arguing. Tracey just barks that everyone one should shut up.

Grinning widely as I step into the room, Edward and Tracey immediately jump to their feet to help me to the table. I try to act like I hate them fussing over me, but I actually revel in the attention. Alice jumps to answer the telephone as it rings shrilly in the other room while Alan hands me a glass of chilled apple juice and a cream cheese Danish.

"Miss Lulu, telephone for you," Alice announces, sticking her head through the door.

"Excuse me, please," I say softly. Taking the receiver from Alice, I am surprised to hear my grandmother's voice.

"I just wanted to see if you would like a ride over to the hospital to see Dillon. I am supposed to have lunch with Elizabeth, and it would be nice to spend a few minutes alone with you."

"That would be nice," I agree. "I was planning on going over around 11. Does that work?

"It suits me just fine. I will see you sharply at a quarter before 11."

"Who was that?" Tracey asks when I sit back down at the table.

I automatically start to snap that it's none of her business, but I remember everything she has done for both of us. "It was my grandmother. She is going to take me to the hospital when I go for my visit with Dillon. He and I are going to have lunch together."

"That will be nice," Monica says absently over the newspaper.

Ned reaches across Skye and grabs the business section, handing Emily his discarded world news pages. "Can you tell my brother I will be by this evening?"

"Yes, and I will try to stop by before my shift at three," Emily adds.

"Sure, I'll let him know."

"Well, we should get going, Monica," Alan declares.

"Yeah, I need to get out of here too," Edward replies.

One by one, most of the Quartermaines file out of the room to start their day. Emily is headed to Spoon Island to visit Nikolas while Skye has a day of pampering ahead of her. Alan and Monica are working at the hospital, and Ned is going to help Edward go over ELQ's financial statements for the Quartermaine. Only Tracey is left with me now, and she is unusually quiet.

"What are your plans for this afternoon, Tracey?"

"Nothing. I have to go into ELQ this morning to do some paperwork, but it shouldn't take me too long."

"How would you like to have tea this afternoon in the garden? The weather is beautiful."

"I'd say that would be lovely, but it wouldn't be like me. So, I'll just say yes."

"Good enough for me," I laugh as we finish the rest of our meal in peace. It's the first time I've ever felt at home in the Quartermaine mansion. They've finally accepted me as part of the family, and it's nice to know that I belong somewhere. With the Spencers and the Quartermaines behind us, I know that Dillon and I truly are a force to be reckoned with.


	46. Chapter 46

"Okay, Dillon, I'll check in on you later, and we'll do another round of your new favorite thing – blood work," Bobbie says as I walk into his hospital room. His eyes are lively, and he looks the best he has since he went into the hospital days ago. My aunt smiles at me brightly as she passes, patting my shoulder affectionately before shutting the door behind her.

"Hello, my love," Dillon greets me gallantly.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Much better now that you're here."

"No, seriously."

"I feel stronger than I have. I even managed to eat half my lunch. How about you?"

"I feel rested, and I ate a decent breakfast."

"That's my girl. What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I'm going to have tea with your mother later and then take a nap. Lucky and Liz are supposed to bring Cam by to visit this evening, so I'll probably have a light supper with them on the terrace."

"Are you getting plenty of rest?"

I nod. "I slept all night and woke up late. Like I said, I'm going to take a nap later. Don't worry, I promise that I'm taking care of myself. My goal is to be 100 percent again by the time you get out of here. We have a lot to do before the baby comes."

"Speaking of which, when is your next appointment?"

"Next week. I talked to Alan and he said as long as you're feeling better, you should be able to come down with me. By then, I will be off bed rest, so you can expect to see a lot more of me around here."

Dillon smiles brightly at me. "I think I could get used to that."

"Hey, who knows? We could make GH into our own little love nest," I joke.

"Let's hope I'm not here long enough to have to do that. I have many plans for you, me and that bed before our baby is born."

"Dillon!" I squeal. "Just like a guy, only one thing on your mind."

"Well, with you looking like that, how could my mind be anywhere else? You're absolutely glowing. You've always been beautiful, but since you've been pregnant, you've become radiant."

I feel his eyes travel down my body, over my knit lavender dress. As the baby bump continues to grow, my clothes have begun to cling more and more to my body. Carly had bought me a few things, and Elizabeth had lent me a few things from when she was pregnant. "Yeah, I'm a regular supermodel," I scoff as my hands fall self-consciously to my stomach.

"You look beautiful," he reassures me. "You know that you haven't kissed me since you got here?"

"I haven't? Well, I better take care of that right away," I reply. Sauntering over to the bed, it takes all my strength not to crawl on top of his body and have my way with him. Even with all the tubes and the shapeless blue hospital gown, there has never been a sexier man alive to me than Dillon Quartermaine. Leaning down, I kiss him. His fingers find their way to my hair, pulling me in deeper until we are completely caught up in each other.

Finally, we pull away, breathless. "Wow," he stutters. "It's been awhile since you kissed me like that."

"I was afraid that your heart would stop," I chide.

"It probably would have. I so wanted to pull you on top of me. We could be really quiet, they'd never know."

"Hmm, I was thinking exactly the same thing. I could have rocked your world right here in General Hospital."

"Stop, you're getting me too excited," he manages, holding up his hands in front of his chest. I think he's used that exact line before, and I revel in the thought that at nearly six months pregnant, I still have that affect on him.

"I love you," I say from nowhere.

"I love how you do that. We can be talking about absolutely nothing anywhere related to that, and you'll just say it. It's like it crosses your mind and you can't wait a moment longer to have it come out."

"Sometimes I just can't bare it, it consumes me. And I think, I have to say it, I have to get it out. When I look at you, I remember how far we've come and how lonely my life was before you found me. When I had nothing and no one, you were there. You gave me our son and your love. Falling in love with you saved me, Dillon. I honestly don't know where I would be if you hadn't forgiven me. I would have left town for certain."

"I'm glad that you didn't leave, Lu. I may have saved your life, but you gave me mine. It's you that got me through this accident, and it's our love that makes me want to get better. I hate this physical recovery; I never realized how hard recovery was going to be. But every time I take a step, I remember what I'm walking toward and it becomes that much easier."

"I can't wait to marry you, Dillon Quartermaine," I say as a knock comes at the door.

Skye pops her head in and smiles at me. "Lulu, we need to go. The driver came to pick me up from my appointment and asked me to get you."

I nod. "Give us a minute?"

"Sure, I'll be waiting. Dillon, sorry I can't stay and visit, but I will be by with Ned tonight."

"That's okay, I'll look forward to visiting with you both then, Skye."

She disappeared again, leaving us alone. "Well, I have to go."

"You need to get your rest. Have a good nap and evening with your family. And I appreciate you making this effort with my mom. I know how she can be, but this whole situation really seems to have changed her for the better."

"She's still under there somewhere, but I think that she's at least trying. She loves you, Dillon, and I think if she lets herself realize it, she loves me, too."

"She does," he tells me as our lips meet. We kiss each other again before I turn to leave.

"I love you, babe," I tell him. "I'll call you before I go to bed. Or call me before you go to bed, whichever is earlier."

"I will, love you."

Skye is waiting for me when I close the door behind me. "How hard is it to leave him?"

"It's excruciating," I admit as we head toward the elevator. I realize that it's the first time we've been alone in months. "How did everything go with the doctor?"

"It went well. Everything is exactly where it should be," Skye replies vaguely. She quickly changes the subject. "What are your plans for the rest of the day? Would you like to do some shopping and grab a quick lunch?"

"That'd be great, but I can't. I have plans to have tea with Tracey in Lila's garden later and I want to grab a nap before Liz and Lucky come with Cameron later. How about tomorrow?"

Skye pulls out her leather planner and scans the calendar. "That looks like it should work," she answers happily. "You know, I wanted to tell you something. I'm really glad that you are a part of this family. It's not that I didn't like Georgie, she's a sweet girl. It's just that she was never quite right for Dillon."

"We're right for each other," I agree as we step off the elevator and into the waiting limo. The luxurious travel is one perk of being part of the Quartermaine that I'll never get used to but have grown to look forward to.

A half-hour later, I find myself with another Quartermaine woman in the grand gardens on the family estate. Alice set the tea tray on the glass tabletop and quickly headed back in the direction from which she came. Pouring the dark English brew, Tracey handed me a delicate teacup and sipped from another.

"I can't get over how beautiful this garden is," I gasp, looking around at the flowers blooming around them. The crimson and scarlet roses fill the air with a sweet aroma.

"Mother spent her entire life planting this garden. When she wasn't working at the hospital, she'd spend hours here designing everything so that it was perfect. There are over a hundred different kinds of roses here. I was afraid after she died that Father would let it go to waste, and he did for awhile. But eventually, he realized that keeping her garden alive was the best way to keep her alive."

I notice that she hasn't looked at me once since she started talking about her mother. "You miss Lila, don't you?"

"Every day."

"I know that feeling, and my mother isn't even physically dead. But I guess her spirit is gone, so she might as well be. I remember all the stories she used to tell me as a little girl. More than anything, I wish that she could be here through all this. Since she's not, I'm glad you are."

Tracey looks at me in shock. "But I'm not your mother, Lulu."

"No, you're not, and you've never tried to be. But you are Dillon's, and you've tried to take care of me because he can't."

"You don't deserve to be alone. I know you have your family, but I feel like you should have ours too. Besides, your father and I are still married, and if he isn't going to be responsible, I will. You need support."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. I've given up on my father being supportive of me. I have Lucky and Grandma Lesley and Aunt Bobbie. I guess that has to be enough for the Spencer clan. Most days, I figure that's more than a lot of people have. But on especially hard days like I've been having for the last week, I wish I had my parents."

"I never really had Daddy's attention, as much as I wanted it. I guess that's why I've always felt like I understood you, Lulu. In that way, we're a lot alike."

"Dillon says we're similar in other ways."

"Oh, really? How's that?"

"We both fight for what we think is right, and we're not afraid to take a chance. We're daredevils and ruthless when it comes to getting what we want. He says that we're both intelligent and very protective of ourselves, and that when we feel like someone we love is being threatened, we fight it with everything we got. We're survivors but like to pretend that we don't need anyone else. However, when you get down to the heart of it, we just really want someone to love us."

"I would never admit it to anyone else and if you ever repeat it, I'll deny it vehemently, but we are a lot alike. I had no idea how insightful my son was on my life."

"I think he knows both of us better than we thought."

"I want to tell you thank you as well, Lulu. You've shown me a lot of appreciation, but I haven't returned the sentiment. You make my son undeniably happy. Thank you for that."

"You know that the feeling is mutual, Tracey."

"I know that it is. I want to propose a toast. I know it's not like me, but just go with me for a minute."

I laugh. "Okay."

"Let the love you share with Dillon be enough to sustain you all the days of your lives."


	47. Chapter 47

The next week flew by more quickly than either of us could have expected. My days were spent lunching with Skye at the Quartermaines' and having afternoon tea with Tracey in the garden. In the evening, Nikolas or Lucky would bring their families by for dinner on the terrace, or Lucas would come to visit. But each day at noon, I languished the hour I had with Dillon. We talked about everything, giving ourselves optimism for the future.

It felt like we had been through so much in such a short time. From the lie to the pregnancy to the dissolution of his marriage to Georgie to moving into our own home to our engagement to the accident, we had come so far. And through all that, we had stayed together and actually ended up coming out stronger on the other end. In a crazy, mixed-up world, we knew we were lucky to find each other.

"So, what do you and Dillon have planned for your first day off bed rest?" Carly asked me anxiously on the last evening of before I was finally allowed to do what I wanted again. She had stopped by the Quartermaines to visit with me. While she was reluctant to even step foot on the estate, she said that she would make an exception for me.

"Well, since he'll still be in the hospital, not a whole lot, I guess. He has physical therapy, so I'd like to sit through it a few times to learn his recovery process. And Alan said we could spend some time down in the gardens and cafeteria."

"Sounds uneventful," she laughs.

"It is a hospital, Carly," I remind her.

"I know, but you're a Spencer. Figure out a way to shake things up."

"Dillon is the dreamer in this relationship. He'll take care of it," I tell her, completely unaware of just what he has in store for me.

The next morning, I was up early. I took a long walk through the garden in the morning dew, much like the day when I admitted my lie to Dillon. However, this day wasn't weighed down with impending confessions; rather, it marked a turning point in my pregnancy. Transitioning into the final trimester, we have only three more months to get through before we finally have our son.

After my walk, I head back to the estate and slip upstairs undetected. I figure I would shower and grab a quick breakfast before going to see Dillon. Carefully, I look through my closet for the right outfit. I want to be extra pretty for him. He was doing so well that I wanted to reward him with something special. _A small gift maybe_, I think to myself. Shaking my head, I know it's not quite right. Then, the idea pops into my head from nowhere.

"That is a beautiful skirt," Emily compliments me as I sit down in my designated chair at the Quartermaine table.

"Thank you," I reply, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from the silk plum skirt. Paired with black wedge heels and a flowing camisole, I know Dillon would approve.

"So, are you headed over to GH after breakfast?" Monica asks as she hands Alan the platter of wheat toast.

I nod. "I want to go by and grab something, and then I'm on my way to see Dillon."

"Well, congratulations, young lady. You did very well at abiding by the rules Dr. Lee set down. I'm proud of you," Edward states. "I'm sure our driver will be happy to take you wherever you want to go."

"Good, that's what I was planning on. Thanks, Edward."

"Now finish your breakfast," Tracey adds.

An hour later, with my cell phone in hand, I strode into General Hospital. Pausing outside the hallway leading to his room, I finish confirming my plans and shut off the device. Bumping the door open with my hip, I grin at him. "I'm back!"

"I have been waiting for you all morning," he says softly as I make my way toward him. Dropping my bag in my usual armchair, I wrap my arms around his neck and lean in for a deep kiss. He deepens it even further, pulling me into his lap.

I finally pull away, completely breathless. "I love when you greet me like that," I murmur. "Do you know how great it feels to know that we have all day together? Thank goodness my jail sentence is over."

"Was it really so bad?"

I shake my head. "No, actually, it was nice to get to know your family and to have them get to know me. Plus, I got quite a bit of rest. I feel great."

"That's good, I'm glad you listened to them. I know how stubborn you are, but I appreciate you doing this for me."

"Well, what time do you have to go down for rehabilitation?" I ask with a wide smile.

He returns my grin. "In ten minutes. Until then, we have all the time in the world," he whispers, turning me around in his arms. Leaning against the bed, my arms snake around his torso to pull him closer to me.

"Excuse me," Patrick announced. "I don't think that is on your approved list of activities, Dillon. We've had this discussion before."

"It's my fault. Dillon finds me irresistible. You can't blame him."

"That I can't, Miss Spencer, but he knows the rules," Patrick laughed. "Off the bed!"

"Fine, fine," Dillon grumbles as I jump off the bed. "Man, I can't wait to get out of here. If I don't get some soon, I might explode."

"Dillon!" I exclaim, smacking his shoulder.

"Well, I will leave you alone. I just wanted to come up and remind you about your appointment in a few minutes. And seriously, no more bedroom gymnastics."

I turn bright red as Patrick walks out, laughing to himself. "Okay, could that have been more embarrassing?"

"It probably could have. My mom could have caught us again."

"Oh, God. You're right, it could have been worse," I declare. "Well, we should probably get you ready to go downstairs. What do I need to do?"

Dillon shook his head. "Nothing much, really. Just roll that wheelchair over here and I'll get myself out of bed. Then, all you will have to do is come down with me."

"How long do you think you're going to need this thing?"

"The physical therapist promises that I won't need it by the time I come home. I'm getting better at this walking thing again. I can't wait to show you," he tells me proudly.

"I am so proud of you," I reply, feeling like he needs to hear it. "In fact, I have a surprise for you after we get done with your appointment."

"Oh, you do? Well, we better hurry then because I can't wait to see what you have in store," he retorts as he shifts himself from the bed to the chair. I notice that the look of pain and discomfort is much less severe than it was the last time I saw him move to the chair. Grabbing ahold of the handles, I push him out the door and toward the hospital.

"Hi, Dillon, how are you feeling?" Maxie Jones asks brightly. She throws me a dirty look but keeps a polite smile plastered on her face.

"Better, thanks."

"Georgie said she would be by later to visit."

"Oh, okay," he remarks dismissively, absently tapping the chair in an inconsistent rhythm.

The laughter in my head erupts loudly as I step into the elevator. "I love how you just totally blew her off."

"I knew what she was doing, and I wasn't playing into her game."

"Well, thank you, I appreciate that," I whisper into his ear as I kiss his forehead.

A few minutes later, Dillon is going through his warm-up exercises. Stretching his long legs, I can tell that he is still struggling to going through the ordinary motions that most of us take for granted. After several repetitions, he moves onto a series of exercises. These seem easier for him. The more he moves his body, the more he seems to loosen up.

"Now we're going to try walking," the physical therapist tells Dillon. She is an older woman, very gentle in her approach. "Lulu, why don't you stand down at the end of the bars?" I follow her directions and stand in position. Dillon begins the difficult journey along the mat, shuffling with some steps. However, as he looks up and locks eyes with me, his steps become easier and quicker. Within seconds, he is reaching for my hands, pulling me into a tight embrace at the end.

"Dillon, you did great!" I declare.

"That is your fastest time yet," the therapist adds.

"I had some inspiration."

"Well, keep that up and you'll be 100 percent in no time," she retorts.

The rest of his appointment goes off without a hitch. By the time we come back up to his room, he is nearly bursting at the seams for my surprise. "Close your eyes," I demand. Pushing him into the room, I finally let him open your eyes.

"Lesley Lu Spencer and Dillon Quartermaine, your lunch is served," Mike greeted us. I had arranged for Kelly's manager to set up a table with a real white tablecloth, china and Dillon's favorite foods from the menus. Topped with Mike's signature apple pie ala mode, it was the perfect solution to my previous reward problem.

"Thanks, Mike," I say, hugging him before leading him out the door. Turning around, I smile at him. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think…you're amazing. This is exactly what we needed."

"Well, then you'll really like what I have next." I shut off the light and pull out one of the candles I had snatched from the Q's. Lighting it with a single match, I tuck it into a champagne flute and set it in the middle of the table. Pushing his wheelchair up to one side and my chair to the other, we dive into the succulent meal. Dillon gnaws away at his chicken while I enjoy the potatoes. Before long, the food is gone and we're just looking at each other across the table.

"I could look at you all day," he retorts.

"You have the rest of your life to look at me. Eventually, you'll grow tired of it."

"I'll never be tired of it. I know it's impolite to stare, but I can't help it. I just want to look at you."

"Well, keep on looking because you'll always see me staring back." My cell phone rings from by bag, breaking the moment. "I thought I turned that thing off before I came in here," I mutter as I jog to retrieve it. Checking the caller I.D., I'm surprised to see my father's name on the screen. "It's my dad," I tell Dillon.

"You should probably take it out in the hall and answer it then," he replies.

I nod and head outside. "What's up, Dad?"

"Nothing, just wanted to let you know that I went to visit your mother. The doctor says she is doing well, but there aren't any changes."

"That's good, I guess."

"And I wanted to see how you were. I just spoke to Tracey, and she said you are off bed rest."

"Yeah, I feel fine. I'm rested, and I'm happy now that I can spend time with Dillon. I have a doctor's appointment in a few days, so I'll find out for sure then. But I really think everything is fine."

"I'm glad to hear that. Maybe I could come by the mansion and see you."

"Maybe, that would be nice."

"Well, I should probably get going. I will see you real soon, Darlin'."

_Yeah, right_. "Okay, I'll see you then. Bye, Dad."

"Bye, Lulu," he replies softly before ending the call.

I don't allow the emotions to come; I just keep it buried beneath the surface as I come back in the room. Dillon is looking at me expectantly when I return. "I'm okay. He went to see my mom. She's doing well."

"Good," he replies shortly. "Can you take me downstairs? Bobbie said there is some kind of form I need to fill out."

"She can't just bring it up to you?"

"I told her I'd rather get out for awhile before I go to sleep."

He wheels himself to the doorway and waits until I open the door. I usher him down the hallway, into the elevator and off onto the ground floor next to the chapel. He reaches up and grabs my hand, stopping me in my tracks. "Let's go in there."

"What? Why?"

"Just because," he replies mysteriously. Totally confused, I lead him into the dimly lit room. Standing at the front, I see Brook Lynn and Lucas on either side of a priest. Seated on one side, my family lines the pews. On the other side, the Quartermaines turn to look back at us.

I look at him. "What's going on?"

"You said you would marry me. So, let's get married."


	48. Chapter 48

"So let's get married,' he repeated. The comment echoed in my head, blowing up over and over again until it consumed my entire body. I looked at Dillon's wide grin, and I wanted to give it to him. I want to marry him, just not like this.

"Can I talk to you in private?" I whispered, grabbing his hand and yanking him back into the hallway. He looked at me with a mixed look of fear and confusion. "I want to marry you, stop looking at me like that."

"Then, what's wrong?"

"This is how you married Georgie. I don't want our marriage to begin like this. I want to wear the white dress, and I want to do the whole thing. I never thought that I would, but Dillon, you changed me. You made me feel like I deserve more. After all we have been through, I feel like we owe it to ourselves to do this right."

"This could be right if you'd let it be, Lu. I can't wait to marry you; that's why I had this set up," he replies softly, grabbing my hand. I allow him to lace his fingers in mine.

"I want to be able to walk into your arms. I want you to walk me back up that aisle."

"What if I can't?"

"But I know you can, baby. I want to do this the right way. I want to pick the people who will stand up with me. I want my father to walk me up the aisle. And if he won't, I want Lucky to do it. I want to have Cam in a little tux."

"Okay, okay."

"Please, don't be angry."

"Disappointed, yes. Angry? Never. I love you, and I want you to have the wedding you want. I know that you're not just doing this for yourself, either. You want us to start the right way. I want to give you that."

"I love you."

"I'm glad you had a chance to say it one last time because

"Besides, if we wait, we can go on a honeymoon. You will be able to make love to me the way a husband should. If we do it now, we'll be missing out on so much."

"But we won't be missing out on our love," he whispered sadly.

I reached down and cupped his face in my hand. "I don't need to be married to have your love. I already have that. Please tell me that I have that," I cry. I feel the tears coming to the corners of my eyes.

"Of course you do. If you don't want to get married today, we won't. I'll go in there and tell everyone that we're going to do this the right way. I shouldn't have planned this without your consent. I just wanted to surprise you."

"Thank you, Dillon. This really is sweet."

"So, we should go in and tell them."

"I'll do it," I offer with a smile. He follows me into the room, his eyes shining with disappointment. "First, I want to thank everyone for coming. I am sorry but Dillon and I…" I turn and look at him when it suddenly hits me. _This is stupid_, I realize. "Dillon and I are ready now. Let's get this wedding under way.

Dillon looked up at me, his jaw wide open. I smile reassuringly and nod slightly. "Lucky, would you walk me down the aisle?"

My brother nods at me from his seat next to Liz. "I would love to."

"Brook, would you mind if Liz was my maid of honor?"

"Sure," she smiled before slipping back into the pew beside Ned. Her father laid his arm across the back of the pew.

"Ned, would you stand up with me?" Dillon asked suddenly. "I want you both to stand up with me. Lucas should stand up with Liz and Lu."

"Are you sure?" Ned asked his brother.

Dillon nodded as we headed toward the back of the tiny chapel. Lucky looped his arm through mine. "Are you ready for this, Sis?"

"Will you always be there for me, no matter what?" He nodded. "Then, I'm ready. I can do this. I love Dillon, and as long as I have you just in case, I know that I will always be fine."

We start the march down the aisle, my eyes locked with the strong man seated at the front of the chapel. He smiled at me, his strength drawing me closer to him. By the time we reached the front of the room, I was ready to become his wife.

"Friends and family, we are gathered here today to join Lesley Lu and Dillon into marriage. They have chosen this day to unite as one in the eyes of God, to devote their lives to each other and their child," the priest began. "Who supports this woman in the marriage of this man?"

"My family and I," Lucky answered before kissing me on the cheek. I smile in return as he stands on the other side of Lucas and Liz.

"There is nothing greater than when two people find each other and in that, they find a love that will last a life time. For Dillon and Lesley Lu, that love lies within each other. Dillon will now share his vows to Lesley Lu."

"Lu, loving you has made my life. When all hope was lost, you were the beacon of light that led me home again. I promise that I will do what I can to be that for you. I love you."

"And now, Lesley Lu will share her vows to Dillon.

"Dillon, through everything, the greatest gift you have given me is stability. With you, I know that I will always have a place to come home, a family to lean on, someone who loves me without condition and without limits. I love you."

"Now, Dillon and Lesley Lu will exchange rings," the priest announced.

Lucas slipped two matching platinum bands from his shirt pocket. Handing one to each of us, Dillon and I looked at each other expectantly. Tears in his eyes mirrored the ones shining in my own. We elected not to trade words as he slipped the band on my ring finger. Reaching over, I repeated the action, pushing it carefully over his finger until it rested above his knuckle.

"By the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the priest said. I leaned down and kissed Dillon. His fingers found mine as we slowly parted. Looking into my eyes, he grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Dillon and Lesley Lu Quartermaine."

An hour later, we were all hanging out in the largest waiting room in the hospital. Alan had shut it down for the private reception, diverting visitors to other rooms sprinkled throughout the large building. Cameron was dancing with Elizabeth, laughing as he stomped on her toes. Ned was waltzing past a row of chairs with Brook Lynn, grinning at Edward and Skye on his way by. Emily and Nikolas danced with the baby between them while Alan and Monica looked on proudly.

"Well, we did it," Dillon whispered as he leaned over.

"I know."

"What made you change your mind?"

"You. Suddenly every reason I had for not marrying you made no sense."

"Well, I'm glad you changed your mind."

"Me, too."

"I'm sorry that our wedding night is going to be spent in a hospital bed."

"Alan did say he'd get us an extra wide one," I offered.

"At least it's something," he laughed. "Let's dance."

"What? You can't."

"Dance with me," he demanded, holding out his hand. Rolling to the middle of the floor, I watched as Dillon struggled to stand up. Using all the strength he could muster, he stiffly rose to his feet, leaning heavily on my body for support. Elizabeth caught my eye and winked as he wrapped his arms around me. "I am in so much pain, but this is so worth it."

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I murmur into his ear, pressing my body closer to his. I feel the baby kick in response to the music.

Dillon looks at me with wide eyes. "Was that the baby?"

"Yes, did you feel it?"

"That was amazing."

"He knows his daddy's voice. He knows when his daddy is making his mommy happy."

"Our baby will know the happiness, love and security that we never had."

"Until now."

"Until now," he agreed.

The rest of the reception went off well. Cake was shared and cider was sipped. Our family enjoyed champagne and dancing long after Dillon and I had collapsed into chairs on the sidelines. Between the pregnant bride and the semi-handicapped groom, we made quite a pair. Eventually, we left everyone and headed upstairs for our "honeymoon suite."

Emily, Nikolas, Elizabeth and Lucky had gotten the room ready, spreading rose petals on the bed and replacing the standard hospital sheets with luxurious ones from the Quartermaines. Lit candles softened the harsh, sterile atmosphere as I helped Dillon into bed. While there would be no sex on our wedding night, there was love. As we fell asleep in each other's arms, I knew that we really would have the rest of our lives together.


	49. Chapter 49

"Elizabeth," I call as I rush through the living room. Out of the kindness of her heart, she has agreed to help me prepare the bungalow for Dillon's homecoming. Six months pregnant and tired of sleeping without my husband, I know that I am irritable as I straighten the pillows on the couch yet again and check the refrigerator for Dillon's favorite foods one last time.

"Everything is fine, Lulu," she reminds me calmly. Handing me my soft pink cardigan sweater, she grabs the keys of the side table and heads toward the front door. A town car will be here to pick me up in a few minutes, and within the half hour, I will be able to watch my husband walk out the front door of General Hospital on his own.

I stretch and yawn as I pad up the stairs toward the nursery. Lucky, Nikolas, Emily and Elizabeth had worked day and night for the past week to help me get it ready. I wanted it to be a surprise for Dillon. Patrick had told me that he would be too weak to do much in the next few months, and I thought having this done would lessen his anxiety and guilt. I'd left a few small things so that we could do the finishing details ourselves.

On my way back downstairs, I sling my beaded handbag over my shoulder and lean against the front door in the entryway. The sun is shining, and it is a perfect 75 degrees in Port Charles. Fall is completely upon us, and within a few weeks, winter will be here. Until then, I am happy to enjoy the last few moments of beautiful weather my fair city has been blessed with. Jetting out the front door, I slip easily into the backseat of the waiting car. My body pulsates with excitement as the sleek vehicle winds its way through the streets toward the hospital.

"Thanks," I tell the driver as soon as he stops in front of the hospital. I barely allow him to put it in park before throwing the door open and running into the building. Patients and visitors litter the lobby, eyeing me cautiously as I bound toward the elevator. I know that I appear impatient, tapping erratically while the numbers light up above my head. Finally, the doors part, and I am on my way up.

"Hello, Lulu. I have to say, I am going to be sad not to see your glowing face every day," Patrick Drake greets me warmly as I step off onto Dillon's floor. His mischievous smile is enough to put an extra kick in my step, causing me to stop and throw my arms around the unexpecting man.

"I just want to tell you thank you for everything you have done for my husband and me," I giggle. "I still love saying that."

"Better you than me," he mutters, patting me on the shoulder before ushering me into Dillon's room. Sitting on the edge of his bed, I read the look of mixed exhilaration and fear in his eyes.

"Dillon," I say softly to announce my presence. He glances up at me, the look fading from his face. Struggling for a moment, he manages to stand up and walk slowly across the floor. By the time he reaches me, Dillon is visibly winded. "You can do this. We can do this."

"Just keep telling me that," he replies against my lips before kissing me. I melt into his body as he invades my mouth.

"I'll say it as many times as you need to hear it."

"Are you ready to go home?"

"I'm ready for you to take me home," I answer, slipping my hand into his. As we make our way toward the nurse's station, Dillon's steps become lighter. He seems to be struggling less, as though his initial walk toward me in his room was his warm up. "You're doing great," I muse. "What changed?"

"You're ready for me to take you home. That's all the incentive I need."

After signing approximately a thousand forms and bidding goodbye to his faithful medical staff, Dillon and I are finally on our way back downstairs. He has to return in two days for physical therapy, and Patrick recommended some activities he can do at home to build his strength. When we step outside, the car is waiting for us. Dillon even holds the door open for me, kissing me affectionately on the forehead as I slip by.

"So, am I going to have a lot of people in my house when I get home?" Dillon asks suspiciously.

"Not tonight," I promise. "Your family wanted to do this whole big thing, but I talked them into putting it off until tomorrow. I convinced your mom that you would be too tired to deal with so much company. More than anything, I just wanted to have you to myself tonight. I have plans for you, mister."

"Does it include me having to be on my back because I am thinking it should," he growls, leaning across the seat to kiss me. Deepening our embrace, I don't even notice when the car stops in front of our house. The driver clears his throat, breaking our moment. Dillon and I laugh as he carries Dillon's lone suitcase inside the foyer and retreats back to his vehicle.

"You made it!" I exclaim as he takes the final step into the house.

He looks around and smiles. "It's just like I remember."

"It hasn't been that long."

"It's been too long."

"You know what, you're right," I decide. "In fact, what do you say we don't wait any longer?"

He lifts an eyebrow and slowly follows me up toward our room. We take our time to undress each other, enjoying the seductive buildup. Within a few minutes, we fall onto the bed and carefully trade kisses. Though he moves slower, his touch is just as nimble and tender. Lovingly, he caresses me until I am beyond control.

Hours later, we begin to wake from our mutual deep slumber, wrapped only in a single sheet. Bare skin pressed against bare skin, his hands rest comfortably on my swollen stomach. My head is tucked into his arm, and everything is the way it should have been on our wedding night.

"How long have you been up?" he whispers groggily.

"Not long. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"I'll be up with something in a few minutes. Do you need anything else while I'm downstairs?"

Dillon shakes his head. "No, I just need you to hurry." The hunger is apparent in his voice, and it's not in reference to the food. After grabbing grapes, cheese and a bottle of sparkling water from the kitchen, I once again seek comfort in his easy embrace.

"These are delicious," he mumbles as I pop a juicy red grape into his mouth. Leaning down, he kisses me intently. "You're delicious."

"I'm all the nourishment you'll ever need," I tease. "Can we leave this for a minute? There is something I would like to show you."

"Sure." I take his hand and lead him down to the nursery. He looks around the room, fingering the soft receiving blankets and running his hand along the books lining the shelf. Squinting, he makes his way across the room to the window and inspects the two frames. There is one of our first sonogram, matted into a charcoal frame. The other is of Dillon and me on our wedding day. "I've never been happier than I am in this moment."

"I remember saying that to you months ago. You couldn't say it to me then. I am really glad to hear you say it now."

"I wish I could sweep you into my arms right now and carry you back to our bedroom. I'd love to ravish you without abandon, but I just don't think it's possible."

"Well, that whole carrying me thing may not be possible, but I think we can work on the ravishing. I've got some strength. All this meat I have been craving has given me the protein equivalency of a bodybuilder. We'll meet each other halfway."

And before he can argue, we race (slowly) down the hallway and fall into the same pattern as before. It was a dance we would become familiar with over the next two months, filling the time between therapy sessions, doctor's appointments and time with our families. Before we knew it, the day would be upon us and our child would be here.


	50. Chapter 50

"Dillon, should I take my pink robe or the purple one?" I ask one afternoon. Dillon is sitting in the overstuffed armchair in our bedroom, watching me repack my hospital bag for the fifteenth time that week. He smiles as I hold up the two articles of clothing, one a cotton candy hue made of chenille and the other a lavender silk piece.

"Both of them make you look beautiful, honey," he replies noncommittally. He knows better than to poke the bear, so to speak. My ninth month has me bigger and moodier than ever. One false step can turn me into a sobbing puddle of Spencer.

"Nice try," I smile, tucking the pick one into the bag. Pulling the zipper closed, I hand it to him to carry downstairs. Just three days short of my due date, we had been practicing dry runs and making final preparations all week. He has been patient and understanding, just trying to make sure that I am happy.

"Do you want to repack Lucca's bag now? I can help you," he offers, holding out his hand as he starts for the hallway. I nod and follow him into the nursery. "Why don't you sit down and tell me what to do? You tell me what to pack, and I'll put it in the bag."

"Okay," I agree. "Let's stay with the same outfit. Your mom is really set on him wearing that home." Dillon obediently sets the powder blue cashmere sleeper back into the small back. Tracey had taken Dillon home from the hospital in that very outfit, and she had given it to me last week to do the same for our son.

"What about this blanket?" he asks, holding up a fleece receiving blanket with ducks.

I shake my head. "I want the one that Liz got for us." My husband pulls it from the armoire and adds it to the bag. "Get the blue hat and booties from Lucas and Brook Lynn. And the silver Tiffany rattle from Carly and Jase." Dillon packs the aforementioned items into the bag and looks up at me expectantly. Satisfied, I nod my head. He closes the bag and throws it over his shoulder with my suitcase. His own overnight bag sits at the foot of the staircase, the items the same ones he picked out last week when I finally made him pack one. As always, his focus is on Lucca and me; he really hasn't had time to worry about himself.

When we reach the foyer, I watch as he easily glides into the living room. It's hard to believe that he was in a life threatening accident less than three months ago. He turns around and looks back at me suddenly, a sly grin playing across his pert mouth. "I have another surprise for you."

"Dillon, you always have a surprise for me," I laugh. Crossing the room to meet his open arms, I lean heavily against his body, letting my head fall onto his shoulder.

"We're going to dinner tonight. At the Metro Court, just like on our first date. The same jazz band is going to be in the club, and we're going to go dance. We'll take Grandfather's Bentley. Then, I'm going to drive over to Silver Street, and we're going to dance beneath the streetlight. And we'll come home and make love in our bed all night long. Our life is about to change yet again, and I want us to celebrate it by reliving the night that began it all."

"I'm due any minute. I don't know if I should really be gallivanting all around town," I worry.

"I talked to Dr. Lee, and she gave her permission. She said this might be enough to push Lucca over the edge."

"Well, in that case, let's do it."

"Good, I have a dress waiting for you upstairs in the closet. I'm going to pick up the car and change into my tuxedo. I left it at the mansion. Be waiting for me in an hour downstairs."

"Yes, sir," I say with a crisp salute. Leaning over, I quickly kiss him on the cheek before running up the stairs. Throwing the closet door open, I am thrilled to see what he has picked out for me. It's black and closely resembles the one I wore on our first date. The stretchy material allows for my full stomach, and it fits me perfectly. Admiring myself in the mirror, I am proud to be the wife of someone who knows me so well.

An hour later, I am dressed to the nines in the black dress from Dillon and matching ballet flats. My hair is piled on my head in a mass of blonde ring curls, mirroring the style from that night. As the car pulls up in front of our house, he excitedly jumps out of the car and hurries over to escort me to the luxury vehicle. His arms are full of bright red roses, there must be at least two dozen. "For you, my wife."

I take them and bury my face in the silky crimson petals. Inhaling deeply, the intoxicating sweet scent fills my nose. "Thank you, they're beautiful."

"Beauty for beauty," he remarks, pulling the door open so that I can slide in.

"Do you think we'll see Georgie there?" I ask as he pulls out onto the road. I close my eyes and think back to that night, how his eyes had gone from fixating on her to me. So much had changed in the months since then. He barely spoke to his ex-wife, and if they did, it was usually in passing. She had settled into a relationship with Diego and was going to school at PCU. We had agreed to be civil but to maintain our distance. They would always have a bond as each other's first love; however, in the end, I proved to be the love of Dillon's lifetime. And he is mine.

"Well, things really would come full circle then," he answers as he turns into the Metro Court driveway. Pulling up to the door, he throws the keys to the valet, waves him off and helps me out of the car. His actions are true to our first date as we are led to the corner table. We eat the same food, down to the dessert on the house from Carly. Diego and Georgie are not there, not that either of us would have noticed if they had been. We're too wrapped up in each other. He even gets whipped cream on his nose again, kissing my wrist as I wipe it away.

After dinner, we go down to the club. It's empty. "Where is everyone?"

"I rented it out for the night. Rather, ELQ rented it for the night. This performance is for you," Dillon tells me, snapping once before the music strikes up. The songs play in the same order, down to the Al Green version of "I Can't Get Next to You." We make out in the hallway and then head for the car, fingers intertwined in our customary web. He kisses me on the forehead, rubbing my stomach affectionately before helping me into the car. True to his word, he heads to Silver Street.

"And this one goes out to the one he loves," the announcer says over the airwaves. The acoustic tune plays, and I know that this is for us and that I am the one Dillon loves.

"Kiss me," I whisper, urging him to capture me in his caress. He does as our mouths wrestle for control. We become breathless as his hands travel down my back and he pulls me tightly against his body. "Kiss me," I repeat. He obliges again.

Pulling back, he grins at me. "Kiss me," he whispers. I stand on my toes and lean forward. Tracing his bottom lip with my tongue, I go in for a kiss. He starts to ask for another but my kiss stops his words. We look at each other and before I know it, we're back in the car. He's careful but quick on the way home. The way his hands move across my body, it's as though he'll stop breathing if we break our touch. Running up my thigh as we wait to merge onto the freeway, rubbing my arm when we make a left turn, cupping my chin at a red light, it doesn't really matter as long as his skin is against mine.

Once we are home, we start to kiss again. He walks up the stairs backward, never breaking the connection as we head for our bed. Lifting the dress over my head, he stops and gapes at me in amazement. "You are so damn beautiful." I step into his arms again, tugging on the edge of his shirt is desperation. Leaning my head, he kisses a soft trail along my neck, across my collarbone and atop my shoulder.

His hands find their way to my waist, lifting me until my legs wrap around his body. He walks us over to the bed, laying me on my back in the layers of sheets and blanket. Leaning over me, I have to say it. "I love you." It's a moment, another moment, that I will never forget. Hungrily, he kisses me again, but my body spasms with something other than pleasure.

He leans back and looks down at me with a slightly disgusted look on his face. "Ew. What was that?"

"My water just broke."


	51. Chapter 51

"Somebody get my wife a doctor!" Dillon screams as we rush into the hospital. Well, he rushes and I hobble behind him as quickly as I can manage. While he is panicking, I am sure that we have plenty of time. "Dammit, didn't anyone here me? My wife is in labor."

"I heard you, Dillon," Liz replies calmly as she comes from behind the nurse's station. Pushing a wheelchair to where I am leaning against the wall, she carefully helps me settle into the canvas seat. "How far apart are they, Lu?"

I glance down at my watch and do mental math. "About five minutes."

"I'll page Dr. Lee and then we'll get you settled in. Dillon, you help keep her calm," she says. Then, looking at Dillon, she quickly changes her mind. "Lu, keep him calm."

Liz returns a few minutes later with Dr. Lee in toe. She asks how I am doing and I fill her in on everything. Dillon is still frantic but calm as he listens to her directions carefully. We're going up to delivery to prep, even though it might be awhile. She wants to be extra careful considering my age. As they wheel me toward the elevator, I think she wants to be careful because of my newly acquired last name and its connection to General Hospital.

An hour later, my outlook has changed drastically. While I am not frantic, I am in pain. Immense pain at that, worsening with each contraction. "Why did I let you talk me out of an epidural?" I spit at Dillon.

"You didn't want one, baby. You told me not to let you have one."

"I lied, give me one," I beg.

"It's too late, Lulu," Liz tells me patiently. "You're doing this au natural."

"I hate you," I growl at Dillon.

"No, you don't, sweetheart. Now breathe."

"I swear, if you tell me to breathe one more time, I will reach up and make it so that you cannot breathe," I threaten through gritted teeth. Dillon grimaces and bites his lip to keep from talking.

"Sorry," he apologizes quietly.

"Okay, Lulu, I'm going to need you to push again," Dr. Lee tells me.

"No, I can't. I'm too tired."

"Baby, you can do this. Just one more time, and we're done."

"I don't see you doing any of the work, Dillon."

"I'm doing all that I can."

"Well, I will push this baby out of my tiny body, and then you can do the rest of the work," I bark as another contraction racks my body. "Ow, ow, ow. Dillon, I can't."

"Yes, you can. Look at me," he demands. "Now, we are going to count to ten together, and you're going to push. By the time you're done, Lucca will be out, and I promise that you won't have to do it anymore."

I look at Dr. Lee and she nods with a wry smile. "Okay," I say, defeated. Gripping Dillon's hand, I start to push. Looking up into his eyes, I listen as he counts, "One, two, three."

"Four, five, six," I scream, pain tearing through the lower half of my body. Still, the calm look in his eyes keeps me grounded as he pauses to let the howl escape from my throat.

"Seven, eight, nine," he urges me, not even flinching when my nails tear into his palm.

"Ten!" we call out in unison. I feel my child completely vacate my body, his precious cry filling the now silent room. Dillon looks down at our son and then at me with a whirlwind of emotions playing in his eyes.

"He looks very good," Dr. Lee tells us from behind my knees. Dillon and I exchange relieved smiles as he mops my brow with a cool cloth. Leaning into the bed, I feel tired but exhilarated.

After Liz helps clean him off, I watch her wrap him in a soft blue blanket. Her eyes shine with pride as she carries him over to me. Placing him gently in my arms, my sister smiles at me. "Congratulations, Mama. You have a very beautiful son."

"Hello there," I coo as I smile down at my son. His blonde hair is wet and matted. Eyes closed, his skin is pink and wrinkled. Gripping tiny hand in mine, I look up at my husband. "What do you think, Daddy?"

"I love you," he whispers, leaning down to place a very gentle kiss on Lucca's hair. Then, his mouth captures mine briefly. "I love you both. I never knew I was capable of loving someone this much or being this happy."

A few hours later, after we have both been checked out extensively, the three of us are resting quietly in my hospital room. Lucca is asleep in his bassinette, and Dillon is resting in the chair next to me. His hand holds mine over the edge of my bed as I watch both the men in my life sleep. I should be resting, but I can't tear my eyes away from my family, they're beautiful.

A knock at the door stirs Dillon. He squeezes my hand before going to open it. Liz is on the other side. "Your family would like to come in to visit," she tells Dillon before coming in to see me. "How are you feeling? Up for any visitors?"

I close my eyes and think for a moment. "There are three people I would like to see first."

"Okay, well, since you're the patient, you're the boss," she smiles.

"I'd like to see Lucky and Tracey first. After that, we'll see how I am feeling."

"I'm guessing you want to see Lucky first," Dillon says. I nod in response. "You heard my wife, Liz. Send in her brother. In the mean time, I think I will go out and see the rest of my family. Explain that you're tired and that you're going to keep the number of visitors down until this evening. That should tie them over for the time being."

"Thanks," I say. He leans over and kisses my forehead before kissing our son. "Liz, can you hand Lucca to me before Lucky gets in here?"

"Sure, and then I'll go. I am sure you want your privacy," she replies knowingly.

Lucca sleeps peacefully in my arms. His tiny chest rises and falls quickly with each soft breath, his heart beating rapidly against my body. I'm still staring down at him when Lucky comes in. He stops in the doorway, covering his mouth as he stares at me. "Lulu, you're a mom," he utters in astonishment.

"I know. Isn't it amazing?" He approaches the bed carefully, peering over the bedrail. "Meet your nephew, Lucca Spencer Quartermaine."

"He's beautiful," he compliments me.

"Would you like to hold him?"

"I'd be honored," he replies as he takes my son gently in his arms. "Hello," he whispers, "I'm your Uncle Lucky. I will teach you everything you'll ever need to know about survival. And in the Quartermaine family, you're going to need it."

"You know, other than Dillon, Liz and me, you're the first person to hold him. I wanted you to be first. You have always been there for me, so I thought you should be here for this."

"I am really proud of you, Lu. You did good."

"I learned from the best, Lucky, I learned from you."

After a few more minutes, he looks up at me regretfully. "As much as I would love to take all his attention, there are a lot of people out there that want to see him. I am sure that Tracey is chomping at the bit to see her first grandson."

"You're probably right," I laugh as he hands Lucca back to me. "Thank you for coming, Big Brother. Thanks for being here now and for being here always."

"I love you, Lu."

"I love you, too," I reply. "Send Tracey in."

Lucky waves and shuts the door behind him. It's barely two minutes before Tracey comes running in with Dillon behind her. She looks at me in the same way that Lucky did as she walks across the room. Dillon lifts Lucca from my cradled embrace and places him in Tracey's waiting arms. Tears immediately come from her eyes, slowly rolling down her flushed cheeks. "Oh, Dillon," she gasps.

"I know, Mom," he whispers back, leaning on her shoulder to stare down at our son. Every time I think I have seen all of Tracey Quartermaine, she reveals another side of herself to me. She is so tender and loving in that moment. I realize that we have something else very important in common, we are both in love with two of the same boys. While it's a different kind of love, it's still there nonetheless.

She smiles up at me, as if she is reading my mind. "Thank you, Lulu. My grandson is breathtaking. Thank you for giving me this moment."


	52. Chapter 52

Most of the day is filled with visitors, a constant stream of well-wishers stopping by to admire Lucca and congratulate Dillon and me. I do my best to stay awake and smile politely, thanking everyone for their compliments and kind words. Dillon is hospitable, parading our son around for our family and friends to see.

The Quartermaines were the first to come visit, two at a time, after I woke up from my mid-afternoon nap. Alan and Monica popped by on their break, both beaming as Monica cradled Lucca in her expert embrace. Ned instantly fell in love with his niece while Skye grinned with adoration toward him. Alice cooed over him. Even was Edward was speechless, grinning madly as he rocked Lucca gently in the rocking chair.

"He looks like a Quartermaine," he boasts proudly to Dillon, his eyes shining with family pride toward the little boy.

Nikolas and Emily were the next to come by. My oldest brother looked so proud as he held his nephew, making all the grand promises that only he would be capable of keeping. Emily was as maternal as ever, holding him close to her as she spoke in an inaudible voice to Lucca. I like to think that she was warning him of all the craziness that will surely ensue in his life. Before they left to pick up Spencer, Nikolas asked for a moment alone with me.

Once Dillon and Emily had left the room, Nik sat by the edge of the bed and watched as I held Lucca. "I just want you to know that if you or he ever needs anything, I will be there for you. No questions asked, I will always be able to give you what you need." I nod firmly at my brother, understanding his statement. He kisses me goodbye before sending my husband and the next round of visitors in.

"There's my girl," my grandmother muses as she comes rushing in the room. Instantly taking her great-grandson from me, she proudly shows him off to Bobbie. The two women fuss over the newest addition to the Spencer family, showering him with the love and affection they have always given me. Bobbie cries when she learns that I stayed true to my word to name him Lucca Spencer after the other men in my life, and Grandma Lesley tells me that she is proud of me.

We get approximately a half-hour of down time before Brook Lynn and Lucas show up to finally meet their godson. "Wow, it's amazing that Dillon could do anything this well," Brook Lynn jokes as she stares down at tiny Lucca. Lucas laughs as he smoothes his wispy hair. They take turns filling him on both sides of our insane family.

Carly and Jason are the last of the stream of visitors, both well aware of how many people came before them. "We wanted to give you some peace," Jason explains in his own quiet way, his blue eyes understanding of the stress I must be under. I smile and shrug slightly to indicate that there's nothing I can do about it, and we get each other in the moment. Oblivious to what is going on, Carly is critiquing Dillon's method of changing a diaper.

"Not that way, it's backward," Carly laughs.

"Well, if you know so much, why don't you do it?" Dillon mutters exasperated.

"No way, you better get used to this, Daddy."

"How does my cousin put up with you?"

"How does my cousin put up with you?" she shot back.

"I have no idea," Jason and I say in unison, earning annoyed looks from our respective mates.

Jason walks over to help Dillon, forcing Carly to retreat to my bedside to talk. We watch silently for a few moments as Jason explains to Dillon the delicate process involved. "At least one of them knows what they are doing," I whisper.

She smiles back at me. "Jason is a good father. He'll help Dillon learn everything he needs to know. It's funny, before all this happens, none of us were close. Now, I can't imagine my life without you and Dillon in it."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Other than my dad, I think this pregnancy has really brought all of our families together. Tracey and Dillon are finally getting some semblance of a relationship. My brothers and I have really bonded over our children, and even the Quartermaines have been bickering less lately. It's amazing."

"Speaking of Uncle Luke, has he been here to see you yet?"

I shake my head. "I haven't seen him since Dillon got out of the hospital, actually. I kind of thought he would show up. He called Bobbie some time last week to check in, but he wouldn't say where he was. On another one of his adventures, I guess. Whatever, it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does, Lu. I'll talk to Jase, maybe we can track him down."

"Don't bother. Everyone that counts in Lucca's life is here. The people that will always be here and never disappoint him are the only ones I want around my child. Since my father doesn't understand the concept of consistency, I think it's just better that we keep it away from my baby."

"Aha!" Dillon shouts triumphantly. Holding his head gently, he proudly picks up Lucca to show me his success.

"Way to go, honey," I mumble sleepily, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

Jason looks at me and smiles shyly. "Carly, we should probably go. It looks like the Spencer-Quartermaine family could use some time alone."

"Right, yeah. So, we will see you when you get home in a few days," Carly replies, kissing my forehead. On the way by, she kisses Dillon's cheek and Lucca's palm. Jason simply waves and before we know it, we're finally alone again.

"Come here," I tell Dillon, moving over in the bed slightly. Though sore, I am feeling fairly well all things considered. Dillon places Lucca in my arms for the moment before crawling into bed next to us.

"I can't believe we're here," Dillon says out of nowhere. He doesn't say anything as his eyes remain glued to the ceiling. "You know, I started working on a screenplay a few nights ago. I want to tell our story. I'm not sure that it will ever get made into a film, but I want to tell it. If nothing else, we will be able to share it with our children some day."

"Children? I just gave birth, let's calm down on that kind of talk," I joke. "Anyhow, I think that's great, Dillon. I'm glad that you're still working on your dream. One of them came true today, and hopefully, that one will too."

Someone knocks at the door, and we both groan. "Who is it?" Dillon calls as neither of us are in a hurry to move from the comfort of our cozy haven.

"It's me."

"Dillon."

"I had no idea she was coming."

"Dillon."

"What do you want me to do?" I rub my temples. Dillon leans over and kisses me before going to answer the door. "Hey, Georgie. What are you doing here?"

"Lucas told me your son was born. I just wanted to come by and visit him."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"It's fine," I relent reluctantly. Dillon smiles at me gratefully as he takes Lucca from my arms. As I watch them, I nearly laugh out loud at how close the image before me came to being real. They could have had a family together if I hadn't come up pregnant.

"He looks a lot like you," Georgie says to Dillon.

He smiles at our son and then at me. "Maybe there is some of me in him, but the good stuff, that comes from Lu."

"Yes, well, I just wanted to bring you this," she replies, handing me a powder blue gift bag.

Pushing away the accompanying paper, I pull out the monogrammed baby towel and washcloth. "Thank you, Georgie. We really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she retorts. "I should go. I have to meet Diego. Congratulations again."

"Thanks," Dillon remarks without looking at her. He is too fixated on Lucca to pay much attention to his retreating ex-wife. Once she is gone, he looks at me. "Thank you for being polite to her."

"The gift was nice," I admit begrudgingly. "I don't get why she had to show up here, but I guess it doesn't really matter. She has Diego now, and I have my family. We can coexist in this town and in your life, if need be."

"She's not in my life anymore," he reminds me. "I will always care about Georgie in some way, you know that. But everything else is secondary to my wife and my son. You and Lucca are what matters first and foremost to me."

"That's why I love you."

"Oh, yeah? Prove it."

"You prove it," I shoot back.

"The doctor said I can't. Well, not for six weeks, at least."

"Ha ha," I murmur humorlessly as he lays a sleeping Lucca in his bassinette. Returning to my bed, he pulls me against his body and holds me in his arms. "I love you, too."

"I can't wait until we get to take Lucca home. Only 36 more hours and then we will finally get to do what we've been waiting to do for the last eight months."

"It's only been eight months," I muse. "It seems like a lifetime."

"Hey!" he says in mock offense.

"I just mean that I can't remember my life without you in it."

"You're good, Spencer."

"That's Spencer-Quartermaine to you."

"Big talk from such a little lady."

"Hey, I still have the baby weight. I'm not so little yet. Besides, you have to be nice to me. You're supposed to worship me like the goddess I am for giving you that little watermelon that is sleeping over there."

"Don't call our son a watermelon."

"When you give birth, you can tell me what I can and cannot call our son. Until then, bite me."

"I love it when you get rough," he growls, eliciting a sharp elbow in the ribs from me.

"You wish."

"Boy, don't I…"

"Funny, Quartermaine."

"That's Spencer-Quartermaine to you," he mimics as I jab him again. "Okay, ow."

"I warned you."

"Fine, you're right. I'll be nice from now on."

"That's more like it," I giggle.

"Well, I think everyone has been by to visit," Dillon says as he begins to idly stroke my hair. I close my eyes and allow my body to relax against his.

"Not everyone," a voice interrupts. Standing over my son at the foot of my bed, my father stares back at me.


	53. Chapter 53

"I'll give you two a minute alone," Dillon tells us.

"You don't have to," my father insists. His tone tells me that he is afraid to be alone with me. I think he's scared that I will lay into him, but I won't. I just want him to hold Lucca and leave. I'm tired and not in the mood to go another round with my dad.

"Yes," Dillon replies, "yes, I do."

Once we are alone, I look up at my father questioningly. "What are you doing here?"

"Your brother told me that the baby was born."

"Yes, and he has a name. Dad, meet Lucca Spencer Quartermaine."

"You named him after me?"

"And Lucky and Lucas," I remark. "Would you like to hold your grandson?"

My father nods timidly and takes Lucca into his arms. He starts to pace the length of the room, rocking him back and forth slightly. It's funny to see him this ways. It is perhaps the only time I've ever seen him comfortable with his position as the head of the Spencer family. "He's a Spencer alright. Look at those blue eyes."

"I think he has some of both of us in him. At least, I hope he will. Everyone has always said that I look like Mom but act like you. Maybe my son will have a similar hybrid of both his parents. Either way, I will love him."

"He has a lot of people around him that will love him. Between the Spencers and the Quartermaines, he has quite a family. Not to mention that dreadful Cassadine."

"Dad," I warn. "Look, you've always shared your vendetta against Nikolas with Lucky and me, but I would appreciate it if you could refrain from speaking ill about my brother in front of my son. I want him to love his uncle."

"Fine," he mutters, sneering briefly before looking down at his grandson. "I didn't know I would feel this way."

"What way?"

"So overwhelmingly proud."

"Do you think Mom would be proud?"

"Your mother would be in love," Luke smiles. "She fell in love with you and Lucky instantly. With Lucky, everything was so new. With his mass of dark hair and his squinty eyes, it completely changed our lives. And you, with wispy blonde hair and big blue eyes, we knew you were going to be trouble. Both times, your mother couldn't stop looking at you two. You were her whole world."

"I wish she was here."

"I know you do. I do, too."

"Aunt Bobbie came by with Grandma Lesley. It was nice that they could come. If Mom can't be around, he'll at least have some strong female support from my side of the family. Not to mention Tracey, I can't believe how well she has taken on the role of grandmother."

"Tracey can surprise you. She loves both her sons immensely, despite her rough personality. I'm sure she feels the same about Lucca here. It'd be hard not to."

"So Lucky called you?"

My father nods. "He told me that I better get over here and see you. I waited all day, hoping that you would call and tell me the news yourself. When you didn't, I realized that maybe it was time I take the first step."

"It wasn't that I didn't want you here, Dad."

"I know…"

"It's just that I was afraid you wouldn't want to be here. And honestly, I'm not sure that I could take anything like that right now," I explain. "It's been a long day."

"I'd imagine so. In fact, I should probably let you both get some sleep."

"You don't have to go."

"I will be back in the morning. I promise. I told you that I was going to try to be a better grandfather than I was a father."

"I really hope that's true," I say softly as he lays a sleeping Lucca into his bed. He leans down and kisses his skin softly and whispers that he loves him. He comes over and repeats the process, dropping a kiss on my forehead before telling me, "I love you, Gumdrop. Sleep well."

"Thanks, Dad," I reply as my eyelids droop.

I hear the door shut, open and then shut again. Before I know it, Dillon is climbing in next to me. I don't even open my eyes, I simply allow him to gather my body next to his. With a sigh and a deep yawn, he pulls the overhead chain and kills the light. "Love you, Lu."

"Love you," I murmur back just as I fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning I wake up to a two-day-old son and a husband both ready to go home. With a 10 a.m. release time set for mother and child, Dillon was already hard at work packing our things when I rolled over. Lucca was in the nursery undergoing his final checks just as Bobbie brought in my breakfast. As one the head nurse at General Hospital, such a menial task was not in her realm of responsibilities; however, she had insisted on brining my breakfast.

"Are you ready to go home?" she asks as she sets the plate of steaming pancakes in front of me.

I nod eagerly. "Dillon has been up for hours. I made him go get some coffee so that I could have a minute alone. Who knows when I'll get time to myself again."

"I'm sure you will have plenty of visitors."

"Dad came by last night, I thought you should know."

"On his own?"

"Lucky called him. He said he was coming back today."

"Well, I'm sure he will," she says brightly.

And an hour later, he does show up. In fact, everyone shows up. As Dillon rolls me out the front door of the hospital in the ordered wheelchair, I am surprised to see the Quartermaines lining one side of the sidewalk. Edward, Tracey, Monica, Alan, Skye, Ned, Emily and Brook Lynn are all holding light blue balloons.

On the other side, my family is beaming at me with sea green balloons in hand. My dad, Aunt Bobbie, Grandma Lesley, Lucas, Nikolas, Elizabeth, Lucky, Carly, Jason, Michael, Morgan, Cameron and Spencer are all there to greet us as my son steps out for the first time. As we roll down the path, they let go of the balloons. I smile toward the sky as they float toward the heavens.

"We wanted to see you off," Elizabeth explains.

"We figured you two would want some time home alone, but we wanted to be here for this," Monica adds.

Edward nods. "Although I wish you were coming back to the mansion, at least we get to see this."

"Back off, Edward," Lucky growls.

Beside him, Carly giggles so hard her body shakes with laughter. "This child is so going to have his work cut out for him."

"You can say that again," my father counters.

Both sides go back and forth, but I don't listen. I can hear everything they are saying without comprehending them. I am in the Lucca zone, my only focus to get in the car with Dillon and take our son home for the first time.

"Well, it was lovely to see you all, really," Dillon declares. "But my family and I are going to go home now. We will see you all tomorrow. Please do not call or come by until then."

"But, Son," Tracey stutters.

"You heard him, Mother," Ned tells her.

Ned's comment is the last thing I hear as Dillon helps me into the car. A carrier is already strapped into the backseat of the limousine Edward had arranged to take us back to the bungalow. Once Lucca is secured in his seat, the three of us make our way home. The ride is quick, and before I know it, we are making our way to the front door. The driver drops our belongings in the foyer and disappears obediently.

As I lay down on the sofa, I watch Dillon carefully take Lucca from his carrier. He is still asleep as Dillon places him in the bassinette in the living room. Dillon pulls it over to the edge of the couch and then crawls behind me. Wrapping his arms around me, he leans his chin on my shoulder. He smiles at me and says the one thing I've been yearning to hear him say for the past eight months.

"Our family is finally home."

_**Fin.**__ Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed and loved this story, especially Ms. Sara…I have truly loved writing every single chapter, paragraph, sentence, word of False Beginnings._


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